Eternity
by Darkyami7
Summary: Atemu has been a vampire for 3000 years. Lost and alone because his love damned him, he finds a different kind of love. This one is just as sweet. YamiFather YugiSon fic. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Eternity

Ratings/Warnings: M/Mild Sexual Reference, swearing, violence

Summary: Atemu had been a vampire for 3000 years. Lost and alone because his love damned him, he finds a different kind of love. This one is just as sweet. YamiFather YugiSon fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! and am not making any money by writing this story. 

Author's Notes: Yep, I'm revising this one, too.

* * *

Egypt 1132 bc

_"Nimataka, please don't, please…don't do this," Atemu moaned piteously, his system leaking blood at various places, though mostly at his neck and both wrists. His normally white tunic was now ripped, tattered, and stained with blood, and on his inner thigh, where his royal cartouche lie, were two small red pinpricks._

Nimataka only smiled and sat very close to Atemu, licking a drop of stray blood off of his cheek. He shuttered weakly at the touch, but wasn't able to make a move to get away. She chuckled softly, "What, my Pharaoh? This?" Bending over, Nimataka started to suck forcibly on Atemu's neck, and he winced, feeling his skin crack under the pressure.

Atemu had no energy left, though it was only hours ago that Nimataka entered his bedchamber with a familiar lust in her eyes. She had gone away for a few weeks across the kingdom, and all that Atemu could think about was her soft caresses and kisses. But now that she was back, Atemu eagerly greeted her, the dim light of his chamber not enough to warn him of her changed appearance.

As he kissed her hungrily and started to slip her light golden robe off of her shoulders, she wrapped her arms around him, shifted her head, and sunk new fangs into his neck. Atemu wasn't alarmed. Why, he didn't know, but he didn't care, either, as a feeling of pure ecstasy washed over him.

Atemu had never felt anything like this before…as she ripped her fangs out of her lover's neck and started to lap and suck at the revealed blood, Atemu felt such a pleasure…such unrefined bliss, that he pushed his body against hers and held her close, silently begging for more, grinding into her, loving how their bodies fit together.

Eventually she pulled away, and Atemu swung them around and pushed her onto the bed, then jumped on top of her and kissed and sucked at her own neck, getting moans of pleasure as his reward, "Atemu…" She groaned, and he stood up to light the rest of the torches around his bed to that they could see each other's perfect bodies.

When he turned back to her, his violet eyes practically dripping with passion and lust, Atemu realized that this was not that same person that he was going to be wed to. Her honey eyes that used to be soft and kind were now darkened, hard, and sharp, and pointed fangs stood out in her intent smile. As Atemu stared, horrified, she licked the corner of her mouth, slid her tongue over her fangs, and passed it over her bottom lip. She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow, "What? Aren't you happy to see me after all this time?"

Atemu paled. She only went on a trip across the kingdom for a few weeks…to see all that Egypt had to offer. What could have happened? He raised two fingers to his neck; they couldn't be real. Weren't vampires just myths? "What…what are you?"

The next thing Atemu knew, he was cornered against the wall, Nimataka's hands pinning his wrists against the stone with a supernatural strength, "I think that you already know," she whispered in his ear, and he flinched at her unusually less-than-loving tone, "But I can give you another hint…if you want…"

That felt like so long ago, and Atemu could feel his heart slowing down, his life force finally giving out. He didn't' know who or what did this to Nimataka, but he did know that this wasn't the person he planned to marry, yet alone the person that he loved. She wouldn't do this to him. At least not on purpose.

Nimataka finally pulled away and licked Atemu's battered and bleeding lips, "W-why?" He whispered, staring at Nimataka through heavily lidded eyes. How could this happen? Why would she let it?

"Because you taste so good," She purred, as if Atemu wasn't in any kind of discomfort at all. Atemu coughed weakly, and Nimataka shifted his head so that it laid against her breast, "I am immortal now, Atemu…don't you want to be the same?"

Atemu's lids connected, and his breathing became more labored, "No." Atemu wanted to die. Nimataka was the only person that he made love to and didn't tell to leave afterwards; he wanted to have a child with her, was the one that was going to produce his heir, she promised him. Atemu loved Nimataka so much that he wanted to make a small gift from these Gods, and only from her. No one else would bear his children…no one…but how could someone that was damned ever love? Be loved? If she was dead, then how could she carry a living, breathing child? Atemu was confused, and his heart was broken.

Gentle fingers wove through Atemu's smooth silky hair, though it was damp with sweat and blood, "Why not? You just don't know how it feels…" As if inspired, her eyes lit up, and her bloodstained canines glistened with her smile. "Let me show you…let me show you eternity…" 

Out of Atemu's line of vision, Nimataka bit into her own wrist and held the bleeding vein to her lover's lips. If Atemu's systems were working properly, he would have gotten nauseous, "Drink, my love…we'll be together forever…"

Atemu didn't want to be around forever; part of the thrill of living was knowing that that day may be your last; part of the thrill of loving was knowing that it might not have been there the next day. He didn't want to drink, "No, Nimataka…I can't…"

"You will…" She said, shaking her arm slightly in front of his face, tempting…taunting him, "Atemu…don't you love me? Don't you want to accompany me forever?" Nimataka seriously looked hurt at Atemu's refusal, yet was so blind as to why he refused in the first place.

Atemu couldn't breathe; the air was simply refusing to enter his lungs. This wasn't how he imagined himself dying, not at the hands of his lover…his love. "Don't you…love me?" He whispered, and his jaw went slack; he wondered if this was what everyone felt when they died: an utter loss for will. 

"More than anything, my heart…and that is why you must drink!" Nimataka said strongly, and thrust her wrist into Atemu's open mouth. Atemu moaned as almost warm blood leaked onto his lip and dribbled down his chin. He didn't want to drink; if he did, there would be no going back. He'd be damned for all eternity, doomed to the underworld, and he'd burn. Nimataka whispered unwanted words of encouragement into his pierced ear, "Just a drop…that's all you need, and then your true life will begin…"

Atemu couldn't help it, there was nothing he could do to block it; a portion of that stolen blood hit his tongue, it was bittersweet, yet, surprisingly, not repulsive. As it traveled down his throat, Atemu felt stronger…and he wanted more.

Atemu's tongue slid over Nimataka's bleeding wrist, searching out the coppery liquid, blood lust taking over his senses, pleasuring him. He opened his violet eyes, and, staring at nothing in particular, raised his hands and grabbed her arm, pulling it closer to him, leaving no space inbetween them. His lips suctioned to the stained skin and he started to suck greedily, viciously, even, having tasted nothing quite like it before. He felt like he could drink forever.

Sooner than Atemu expected, Nimataka pulled her hand out of Atemu's grasp, and he groaned, feeling suddenly tired as the flow of red life stopped. Strong arms wrapped around his waist, and Nimataka's voice wafted over him, "Good, my love…that's enough for now…sleep, my darling, and when you wake up…eternity is ours." 

* * *

Domino, Japan 1999

As the wind blew and the clouds started to infiltrate the sky, warning the inhabitants of Domino City of an oncoming fierce storm, all was quiet. There was no sound by any walking creature alive or dead. Dead, though, was a different story. Atemu was in the park that night.

The year was 1999, over 3000 years since he was reawakened as a creature of the night, yet he still walked, he still drank, and he was still alone. He shuffled through the leaves, not bothering to quiet his steps and warning all of his approach. But there was no one there. He could hear no breathing, and sense no one's presence. He was utterly alone in the park.

For 3000 years Atemu walked the earth, at one point leaving Egypt for good and traveling to other parts of Africa. He moved onto Europe, and even lived in America for a few hundred years. He strayed off to Asia, and now was in Japan; Domino to be exact. He never stayed in one place for too long, as he didn't want Nimataka to somehow find him, so he always picked up and left just as he was getting stable. He would find some dying victim in some level of financial comfort, and then take up their identity.

Atemu stopped, and the swish of leaves stopped. He could hear something; it was a wonder that he didn't hear it before. It was crying, a child that was crying; the sound was sweet and lost and sad. Terrified.

Atemu didn't understand it; it was at least 11 o'clock at night. Why would a child be crying and alone during the darkest part of the evening?

He walked towards the sound of the noise, which lead him to a large oak tree. The sound of his steps did nothing to the sound: it didn't stop, and it didn't intensify. He peered behind the tree and saw a small child. He was indeed crying.

Though saddened that someone would leave their child in a park all by themselves, the vampire knew that the poor thing wouldn't be sad much longer. Atemu didn't understand it; he would do anything for such miracle, but could no longer do his part to create one, so childless he remained. 

Atemu stepped forward to pick up the child and feed quickly; it didn't hurt either of them as much when they didn't make eye contact, as the prey wasn't expecting it. Atemu didn't get attached. 

However, the child, a boy as it turns out, somehow knew that he was there, and turned to meet his gaze with large, beautiful violet eyes.

Atemu stared for a few seconds, unable to tear his gaze away: the child looked much like Atemu when he was young, and was between 2 to 4 years old. His pale skin tinted a little pink at the cool temperature, and he had hair that stuck out in shades like the vampire's; a lock of blond hair hung delicately in his face. 

And the child stared right back. He didn't look horrified; he wasn't even afraid. He looked…amazed. Through his watery eyes and tear-streaked face, he looked thoroughly amazed and intrigued. 

Atemu bent down next to him and cocked his head slightly, "Why are you crying?" He was going to have to do this the hard way, even though he could already feel himself taking a liking to the small adorable boy.

He didn't answer right away, and instead opted to wipe his eyes with two clenched fists, "Because…" 

Atemu picked the boy up and braced himself for a struggle, but he didn't get one, so he sat on the bench and balanced the boy on his knee, "You can tell me, I won't tell anyone." He said softly, wondering why he cared so much. In reality, he was as much intrigued by the boy as the boy was him. His weight felt warm on his leg; he liked it.

The child swallowed a few times, then held out the pinky on his small right hand, "Pinky swear?" Atemu was rather baffled by this; he had no idea as to what a 'pinky swear' was, but he hooked his own pinky around the child's and said, "Pinky swear." His flesh was so soft and warm…Atemu had to exercise caution with this one.

The boy then nodded a little, averting eyes with the crimson-eyed vampire, then, apparently satisfied, whispered, "My mommy and daddy are gone…"

Atemu pretty much knew that this was coming, but hearing it come out of the child's mouth hurt…a lot, "Do you know where they are?" 

The boy shook his head as new tears spilled onto his cheeks, "They said they would come back, but they never did…" Atemu was nonplussed; what was he supposed to do? He rested the child's back against his chest and gently tilted his head to the side. The other didn't protest, lost in his own sorrow. Atemu could practically see the pulsing vein. The child's parents weren't coming back, it was for the best, so he leaned forward, and could feel the heat radiating off of the living boy.

The wind suddenly picked up, sending stray leaves flying. Even though Atemu barely felt it and wasn't at all disturbed at all, the small boy crossed his arms and started to shiver, chattering teeth adding to the mix.

Atemu froze, centimeters away from the child's neck; thunder rolled, and lightning flashed, though he didn't stop to admire the rainbows of color that made up the light. The only thing that Atemu noticed was the child's renewed sob and another emotion: fear.

But it wasn't just a small twinge of surprise at the sudden noise and light; it was intense fear. He was afraid of storms.

So instead of biting into the child and drinking him dry like he should of, Atemu enveloped him gently in his arms and whispered sweet nothings into his ear. He cared about this child so much, but he didn't know why. He hadn't cared about anyone in thousands of years. He didn't know where he got the knowledge to say these things, either. It just felt…right.

Apparently, it was also the proven right thing to do, because the amethyst-eyed child turned around in his grasp and clenched his arms around Atemu's neck, "Yami…I'm scared," He said softly over the new drones of thunder, and Atemu tightened his grip, wanting to protect the abandoned child from whatever was plaguing him. He wasn't sure if what he was planning to do was safe or ever sane, but he didn't want to feed off of him.

He couldn't just leave him there, though, abandoned and afraid… 

Atemu stood up and shifted the little boy so that he could hold him better, and the boy buried his head into the crook of Atemu's neck as the sky started to fiercely rain, and cold drops of water were pelted onto the two figures. Atemu didn't understand why this child hated the rain so much. He could understand, though not relate to storms, but rain?

Not speaking, or even thinking about an opinion from the boy, Atemu ran in the opposite direction, his boots now sloshing not through not leaves, but newly forming puddles.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Please Review.


	2. Chapter 2

_Bright…everything's so bright, that it…burns…_

As soon as Atemu opened his eyes, he closed them hurriedly as warm water sprung up in them in protest. Even though he knew that it was still nighttime, it must've been only a couple of hours until dawn; there was a certain vividness that everything had, and it hurt. Yet it didn't hurt for long, and, amazingly, neither did anything else.

His eyes snapped open and he sat up as Atemu realized what had happened. He was lying in bed, completely nude, but there was no blood, no injuries, not even scars, on his evenly tanned skin. Confused, he brought his left wrist up to his sharpened, now crimson eyes, to look for an injury, a scar, anything, but his flesh was unblemished. He could see every pore, yet he couldn't see his vein tremoring slightly with each beat of his heart. He brought his thumb to his vein to push on it, but when he saw elongated fingernails, his wrist was forgotten. He knew that there'd be no pulse.

What happened to me?

Atemu turned his palms on both hands around, and saw fingerprints that were so distinct that they looked like circular crevices in a mountain top, and the areas where they dipped were valleys. Shaking, he raised the tips of those fingers up to his mouth, and felt along his teeth. Skin broke, and as he looked at his middle finger, he felt his skin mend painlessly. He licked the blood off of the former injury…yet nothing was there.

Tears leapt to Atemu's eyes. He was damned…damned for all eternity.

* * *

Atemu turned on the apartment lights of a building called the Kame Game Shop. He'd only been living there for a few weeks, as he had moved in after feeding off of an old man with a severe case of depression that Atemu knew he wouldn't get out of. The man had a fair amount of money; the store was out of business, but Atemu guessed that he was a gambler or something previously. There were also quite a few items down in the basement that were worth a trip to the pawn shop.

But Atemu wasn't thinking about that. No, he was thinking about the shivering child in his arms. That aura of fear that he reeked of was being replaced by…nothing. He carried him upstairs and sat him on a chair. He wasn't too wet, as Atemu could run extremely quickly, but he didn't want the poor thing to catch a cold, "Will you stay here while I get you some clothes?"

He nodded, still looking perturbed. He must of realized that his parents probably weren't coming back, and that he was still subject to a new abandonment, "Okay…but you'll come back, right?" Atemu almost melted with pity and concern as he left the room, but he returned in a few seconds with a large t-shirt. It would have to do for now. The boy was still looking at Atemu with awe, which was intensified after he was bathed in light.

Atemu was of average height and build, though a little on the skinny side, dressed in blue jeans and a black tank top. His blood red eyes were intense, yet kind and wise at the same time, and fangs could almost be seen through his lip. His skin was still tan, but it had paled by a couple of shades, giving his dead flesh a sort of milky look. Of course the child was amazed. 

Atemu let him stare for a moment, then knelt down in front of him, "If I showed you the bathroom, could you get changed?" He nodded and Atemu felt the need to ask, "What's your name?" Well…now he had done it. He was attached to this boy, and wasn't sure what he would do with him.

The child blinked, then his eyes unfocused, as if trying to remember a time when he was told not to give this information out. They refocused soon enough, apparently not finding one, "Yugi."

* * *

Yugi. So that was the name of the abandoned child in Atemu's arms. He was sleeping soundly in Atemu's lap, who had an arm around his waist so that he wouldn't tip over. One of Yugi's arms was wrapped around his, and he was sucking gently on his opposite thumb; his head was leaning on the crook of Atemu's chest and left arm.

Atemu wondered if Yugi could feel how cold he felt…, if he could tell that his heart didn't beat. Yugi seemed intelligent and wise, yet he was only a child. Where had he learned so much; when had he gained the ability to think so complexly?

Yugi shifted a little before falling still again, and Atemu's gaze shifted to the box and bowl of Cheerios on the coffee table in front of them. Atemu threw almost all of the food in the house away when he moved in, but he kept a couple of boxes of cereal, just in case. Yugi seemed perfectly content with the finger foods nevertheless, and Atemu thought that it was adorable the way he slipped the O's into his little mouth.

Atemu heard the dryer buzzer as it went off; he had thrown his and Yugi's clothes into it awhile ago. The next morning he'd have to go look in the basement for some other clothes that might fit him, and if not he'd have to go buy clothes and food the next night.

What had Atemu gotten himself into? He couldn't keep up with something like this for long. He couldn't cook very well, he had no job, and only a limited amount of money. What happened if Yugi wanted to go to school when he got older? What if he wanted to go to the park tomorrow before the sun went down?

What was he saying? Atemu couldn't raise this child; he didn't know how, and why would Yugi want to, anyway? No, Atemu just took him in for the night, but when the storm cleared, he'd take him down to the police station and forget the whole thing. 

The storm picked up again after a couple of hours of calm, and lightning illuminated the room as thunder rolled. Small fingers dug into Atemu's skin as Yugi woke up, terrified. His entire body was quivering in that fright, and his heart rate was racing so fast that it was almost painful. Atemu gathered the child in his arms to try to offer some type of comfort; he buried his face into the other's soft hair, "Yugi, it's alright, it's only a storm. You're alright." 

Yugi didn't listen, though, and his breathing turned to wet sobs, "I miss my mommy and daddy. I didn't mean to be bad…I didn't…"

Atemu was shocked; nothing that a toddler did would, or even could, warrant such a harsh treatment. No one deserved to be left helpless and alone in a park so late at night. "Yugi…why were you bad? What did you do?"

Yugi sniffed, "It was going to rain, and I got scared. I didn't mean to…" 

Atemu wasn't sure it he understood what Yugi was telling him, "So your parents left you in the park to punish you?" 

Yugi only nodded before starting to sob softly again. Atemu tightened his hold on the boy, suddenly feeling very overprotective. He couldn't give Yugi up, not now; not even if he wanted to go back. What if they did leave him out there all night, and someone other than Atemu found him? What if he was killed…or worse?

The sat there in silence for a long while; Yugi jumped and whimpered a little every time thunder struck, but the tears stopped after a little, and Atemu could sense his fear slowly ebbing away. Soon the only sound left was the rain pit-pattering softly on the windows, and even the storm seemed to fall into a comfortable silence.

"Yami…" Yugi mumbled in his slumber, and Atemu started, jerking back awake as he'd been falling asleep.

There was that name again: darkness. Yugi was very wise even though he was just a child; that said something about him. He embraced the fact that Atemu was different, and didn't fear him for it. The vampire only hoped that he was making the right decision.

Atemu also closed his eyes, feeling rather comfortable with someone that trusted him in his arms. It was a good feeling, and Atemu soon drifted off, an odd feeling of warmth in his cold, dead body, while the storm seemed to soften around them.

* * *

_"Atemu, my love…you shouldn't be by the open window…the sun will rise soon," Nimataka said, sauntering into a normally unused chamber of the palace; one with a large window. Atemu was sitting on said open window pane, looking out across the desert._

"Why?" He whispered, but she caught his tired voice easily. Atemu watched the sand blow across the earth, every grain distinct…different. He never noticed it before, and even though it was beautiful, vhe didn't want to have to pay such a cost for it.

It was too late, though. He couldn't be Pharaoh anymore, as his people would fear him even more than they already did. They'd revolt, bringing Egypt to ruins. Atemu didn't want that, yet he didn't know what to do. He had no heir, and now he never would.

"Why what, my heart?" Nimataka asked, walking closer to her lover, "Are you hungry? We could go and feed together before the sun rises…or we can just stay in the palace and do it…"

"How could you say such things," Atemu said quietly, not turning to meet her gaze, "How could you be so comfortable with killing people…how could you be comfortable with killing me? I loved you, Nimataka…"

At this, Nimataka sat on the windowsill, very close to Atemu, who stiffened and shrunk away, "Don't you love me anymore? I still love you…"

"How can you?" Atemu yelled, finally looking at her. He still loved her; he still loved her deeply, and though the thought of staying together forever was tempting, Atemu just couldn't do it. She killed him, damned him, and couldn't love him. Not now, "You don't love me…"

She smiled sweetly and kissed his cheek lightly, "Come on…you're just hungry…I'm sure that when we find a nice virgin to taste that you'll feel much better."

"No."

"Why not? You need to feed…if you don't…" She said sweetly, trying to coax Atemu into going out. She traced a soft, dead, cold finger down his cheek; Atemu had to remind himself not to melt into the touch. He just…wanted it so badly.

"No, okay? I don't want to kill anyone, and I don't care what will happen if I don't! I don't care! I'll die again if I have to!" With that, Atemu stood up and went over to the exit of the room. "I'll be in my bedchamber. Don't let anyone in…including you," He said at the doorframe without even turning to look at her. Then he walked out, still fighting back the urge to cry.

* * *

The next morning, when the storm had finally abated, Atemu woke up to find Yugi staring at him, that look of innocence and wonder plastered on his face. He smiled as Atemu opened his eyes blearily, then laughed as Atemu pulled him into an open hug. Yugi seemed so much happier now that the storm was gone, though his eyes still looked depressed at the loss of his parents. 

"Yugi, are you hungry?" Atemu said tiredly, and scratched his head lethargically. He wasn't sure what time it was, but he could see the reflection of the sun on the closed blinds. 

"Can I have some more Cheerios?" Yugi asked, and Atemu nodded, smiling at the fact that something as simple as Cheerios made Yugi happy. He picked the extremely light child up and sat him on the cushion of the couch, then leaned over and grabbed the rather large box of the cereal. Deciding to try one of the pieces himself, Atemu stuck one of the O's in his mouth. Swallowing, he knew that it was stale, even by human standards.

Yugi, however, didn't seem to mind, and stared at Atemu, always interested, as he slowly ate a small handful of the cereal. His gaze was fixed on Atemu's mouth, "You have big teeth." He pointed out. It wasn't spiteful, and he wasn't even poking fun. It was just an observation.

Atemu smiled, showing them off; Yugi blinked, amazed, "Yes, I do."

Yugi stuck another two Cheerios in his mouth, and his hand went to the opening of the box that Atemu had offered him a minute ago. By now the box was sitting in his lap, "Why?"

Atemu hesitated. What was he supposed to say? Because I need them to eat people? "Well…Yugi, I need them to eat." Atemu was rather proud of this statement; it was vague, but it wasn't a lie either.

Children loved to ask questions, and Yugi grinned childishly, proving it, "Do you eat rocks?"

Atemu almost laughed, "No, I eat meat, just like you." It was almost the truth. Almost.

"Oh," Yugi said, apparently satisfied. Atemu looked carefully at the child as his attention diverted back to the yellow box of cereal. Yugi was a beautiful child, and Atemu knew that this beauty wasn't only skin deep. If Yugi's parents needed the excuse of being afraid of storms to abandon him, then he wasn't a bad kid at all. He was so sweet and kind, and Atemu could tell that just by the observations he made and the way that he said them.

Atemu stood up, and Yugi looked at him, almost scared. Atemu smiled warmly, "I'm only going to go downstairs and get your clothes, I'll be right back." Yugi nodded, though he seemed a little upset at this, "Do you want to come down to the basement with me?"

Yugi's eyes widened, he must have been afraid of the basement as well. Atemu leaned over to the back of the couch and grabbed the handmade comforter that was placed there, then let it drop over Yugi's shoulders, "I'll be right back, okay? I promise," He reassured.

Yugi nodded, letting go of the Cheerios to grab the soft blanket in both of his hands, and Atemu traveled downstairs to the basement to grab their clothes, and to look into the boxes for anything that a child might have been interested in.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	3. Chapter 3

A few minutes after he went downstairs, Atemu came back up them, clean clothes in hand. In some of the boxes he also found some children's clothes that he thought might fit Yugi, but those were in the washing machine. They weren't very dusty, which meant that a child in the old man's family must've died not long ago. He had a rather large teddy bear in his other elbow, and thought that it would be good for Yugi to have something to get attached to. He did seem rather lonely.

However, Yugi was not on the couch in the living room, and the box of Cheerios and the blanket laid abandoned on the green couch. Atemu, in a moment of blind panic, widened his eyes, then got his wits about him and twisted his head to see that the bathroom door was closed. Atemu would've sighed if he breathed, but instead placed the clothes on the coffee table and sat on the couch, deciding not to try another Cheerio, and instead opting to place the bear on top of the blanket. He smiled at it softly, then got comfortable.

After a minute or so the toilet flushed, Atemu heard an odd scraping, then running water, and Yugi finally exited the bathroom. The vampire couldn't help but smile; children, especially this one, were just so cute. _Smart_, Atemu thought as he saw a step stool that was in front of the sink, _very smart_. 

Atemu grinned a little, "Feel better?" Then he inwardly winced. Of course he wasn't feeling better; Yugi was going to be hurting about this for a while, and he'd ask to go back to his parents eventually. Atemu just didn't know if he would be able to let go. Yugi nodded, not getting the full extent of that question, and looked at the stuffed animal in his seat. His gaze swerved back to Atemu's, this time questioning. "It's for you," Atemu offered, "Don't you want it?"

Yugi grinned broadly, then somehow managed to climb back onto the couch. He hugged the bear tightly, "Can I name him?"

"Of course you can," Atemu said, suddenly getting the feeling that where Yugi came from, he didn't have too many stuffed animals or anything of the sort. "What do you want to name him?"

Yugi bit his lip, looking between the brown teddy bear and the room for apparent inspiration. He made his choice in about 30 seconds, "Alphonse." 

This time Atemu did laugh, and Yugi smiled at the rich baritone sound, "That's a good name." Yugi nodded in agreement, then hugged the bear again, apparently hooked. He looked just a little less lonely now, but the silence that followed seemed almost broodingly so. Atemu decided to break it, "Do you want me to help you get dressed?" Yugi nodded again, "Okay, then, come here."

Yugi complied, and Atemu slipped on his little stretchy jeans, while Yugi held onto the bear's arm, which was pretty much behind him. "Will you let go of the bear for a minute so I can put on your shirt?" Yugi did, though it was with something that slightly resembled a frown. He lifted his arms, and Atemu easily pulled the oversized shirt over his head. Yugi's chest and stomach were the same color as his arms and face, which suggested that he didn't go out in the sun too often. What a coincidence.

But something wasn't right. There was a raised mark that was a deeper color on his skin that started under his right collar bone, and continued onto his back. He narrowed his eyes, and Yugi stiffened, noticing Atemu's sudden serious attitude, "Yugi…will you turn around for a minute?" He asked slowly. Yugi did as he was told, his attitude suddenly rigid…frightened. Atemu lifted his left hand and slowly traced a scar that ran from the aforementioned spot to the middle of his spine, then traveled lower, ending about halfway down his back. It looked…recent.

A few other, older, less serious scars were scattered on his back, and as Atemu took Yugi's shoulders and spun him around slowly, he saw that scars were also on his pale stomach. They were healed marks, and judging by the fact that even Atemu almost missed it, upon inspection a normal mortal wouldn't notice, "Yugi…who did this to you?"

Yugi pulled away from Atemu's gentle fingers and sat as far away as he could without leaving the couch; he pulled Alphonse into his lap, shielding his exposed skin from Atemu's gaze. "My daddy…" He finally whispered after a full minute of Atemu staring intently at the child, who appeared to have lost his grasp on the situation. 

"W-why?" Atemu asked, stuttering for the first time in at least 2000 years. He didn't understand what Yugi could've done. He'd heard of child abuse, and had seen it 100 times. But it was never to a child so small. "Yugi…what did you do to get these injuries?" He had so many questions, but he knew that he was already overwhelming the smaller, and tears were gathering in his eyes because of the pressure.

"I don't know…" Yugi said half-heartedly. "My daddy would say that my mommy said I was bad, but he wouldn't tell me what I did. He called me names." Yugi stopped, and Atemu scooped the small child into his arms, unable to take it anymore. Yugi started to sob into the head of the bear, and Atemu rocked him back and forth. They didn't need to talk about it anymore; he knew that Yugi was confused, and he knew that Yugi would want to go back to his parents. He didn't know that he was being abused, and he probably wouldn't believe him if Atemu told him that, either.

"Here," Atemu said, "Let me put your shirt back on." Yugi immediately let go of the bear, and Atemu slid his shirt over his stomach, covering up the blemishing scars. Atemu didn't care, though. Yugi was still perfect and innocent in his eyes. It was just too bad that the innocent were often the ones that were blamed and punished for things that they couldn't possibly have prevented.

Yugi grabbed Alphonse as he sat back down in Atemu's lap, and his thumb immediately found its way into his mouth. He sucked gently, and no more tears graced his face for the time being. Eventually he fell asleep again, and Atemu sat there for hours, an undeniable predicament running through his head. What was he supposed to do with Yugi?

* * *

_Atemu was hungry. He had sat inside of his bedchamber for eight hours, 8 long hours, dozing and dreaming and trying to rid himself of the gnawing hunger that was slowly consuming him body and mind. But he wouldn't allow himself to get up. If he had to, he'd force himself to waste away._

Soon a familiar smell met his nostrils; he knew it well. It was the coppery, metallic scent of blood. It wafted through the opening of the chamber, and at the smell of it, he wanted the real thing. Atemu wanted to taste warm thick life-blood, and feel it on his tongue. 

He couldn't let himself, though.

"I thought that I told you not to enter this room," Atemu said as Nimataka entered. He didn't even have to look; he somehow knew.

"Come, my heart, "She said, extending her hand out to the depressed and disgruntled vampire-Pharaoh. Atemu finally did look at what used to be his lover, and saw glistening crimson on her enlarged cuspids. "I found someone for us to dine on…he's still alive, and I give him to you."

"The guard outside the door," Atemu said, subconsciously standing up. It was so close, and all he wanted was to take a bite and enjoy. The guilt that would come later didn't matter, and the demon inside of him was telling him that it would be all right.

Nimataka nodded, and Atemu exited the chamber, almost immediately coming to a halt in front of a dying man laying on his chest. Atemu breathed in the scent of blood that was so thick in the air and lowered himself to his knees, his shift not quite reaching the ground. His bare knees became stained with blood. 

Atemu lifted the guard into his lap and watched, blood lust consuming him, as the man fought for his life. Atemu was amused, and bit into the side of his neck that Nimataka left unblemished. The guard didn't flinch, he was too far gone, and Atemu withdrew his new fangs and licked and sucked greedily at the little blood that he had left.

Soon enough, though, Atemu couldn't hear or feel the guard's heartbeat, and Nimataka gently pulled his head away. Atemu dropped the man and licked the corners of his lips as he stared.

He wanted more.

* * *

Atemu stood under the shower head in the bathtub, letting hot droplets of water cascade down his lightly muscled body. One of the perks of being a vampire was that their physiques didn't change. Atemu hadn't done any extreme physical work in years, but he still looked like he did when he was 17.

Atemu left Yugi with Alphonse and a box of Cheerios on the couch, but left the door open just a crack just in case something went wrong. Yugi spoke and acted as if absolutely nothing had happened a couple of hours before, and Atemu was happy to do the same.

But it wouldn't leave his head. Ever since Atemu brought Yugi home, which really wasn't too long ago, the child had listened to every word he said; he'd never spoken back and was actually very quiet. He couldn't think of anything that would permit such harsh treatment to such an adorable kid.

He turned off the flow of water and squeezed the drops out of his long hair. When he pushed the powder blue curtain back, Atemu was not expecting to see Yugi there with Alphonse at hand, "Yugi…what are you doing?"

Yugi just looked, not at all abashed that the other was stark naked, while Atemu was just confused, "Yugi, are you okay?" He hadn't been seen in the like this in about 3000 years. Sure, he looked exactly the same, but still, he wasn't used to this.

Yugi stared at Atemu's face for a few seconds longer before saying very quietly, "I missed you. There's no one out there." 

Atemu's heart dropped. He absolutely adored Yugi, and apparently Yugi liked him a lot as well, "Well, then, I'll just have to come out and sit with you, won't I?" Yugi smiled and nodded, so Atemu stepped out of the tub and wrapped a fluffy white towel around his waist. He could get dressed later, especially if Yugi didn't seem to care. He picked Yugi up and balanced him on his hip, then caught Alphonse as he slipped from Yugi's grasp.

Yugi stared at Atemu's speed, "Fast," He said.

"Yes, I'd imagine so," Atemu grinned back. He plopped down on the couch and sat Yugi once more in his lap, "So, are you hungry?" He reached over to grab the box of Cheerios, but saw that it was empty. That left the only other food in the house as spaghetti, which meant that he had to go shopping. Damn. "Okay, Yugi…do you want to go grocery shopping with me later?"

"Okay!" Yugi said brightly, leaning back into Atemu's chest.

* * *

Later that afternoon, just before the sun set, Atemu let Yugi take a bath, in which Yugi refused to let Atemu leave, and the whole thing just turned into a big water fight. But Yugi was clean, and that was all that mattered. He dressed Yugi in the clothes that he found in the basement, which were just a tad too big, and when the sun set, Atemu held Yugi's hand and they walked into town to the supermarket.

"Yami, why didn't we go when the sun was out?" Yugi asked, managing to find Atemu's face in the dark.

Atemu blinked, "Well, I don't like the sun too much." He said, knowing it wouldn't be enough.

"Why?" The standard child-like question.

"Well, I'm…allergic to it," Atemu said, grinning a little.

"But you're so dark," Yugi said, and Atemu hoped that he was referring to his tan.

"It's natural," He replied, and Yugi fell silent, "Hey," Atemu said suddenly, pointing to the sky. It was a clear night; the storm had fully abated, and stars could clearly be seen, "Stars." Yugi looked up as a comet flew across that inky black canvas, "Make a wish, but don't tell anyone what it is, or else it won't come true."

"Okay!" Yugi said, and he closed his amethyst eyes.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

I Was told by a reviewer that the stars don't shine in Japan. I just couldn't take the scene out, though. I think that it's cute.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	4. Chapter 4

_Atemu cradled his guard in his lap, then bent his head to break the unblemished skin on his neck, where his vein struggled to keep blood moving. As he pulled his fangs away, two neat punctured holes leaking blood, he heard one word escape the lips of the dying guard, "Damned."_

Crimson eyes shot open, and Atemu struggled against the arms wrapped around him, "No, let me go!"

"Shh, Atemu," Nimataka whispered, but Atemu ripped himself free of her and stood, his eyes full of rage and betrayal.

"How could you-who gave you the right to decide to do this? Who gave you the right to damn me?" Now the guilt was sinking into Atemu's system, and he tried to pawn this off on anyone that would listen. But the truth was that Atemu drank and finished off his own guard. He killed someone that swore to protect him, and he did it without a second thought.

"I did it for us, my love," She said, getting to her feet slowly and smiling sadly, "Now we can be in love forever."

Atemu didn't want to admit to himself that he still loved Nimataka, but he knew it anyway. He didn't have to think a word, "But…no…you can't be in love with me. Not anymore." And with that, Atemu turned around and ran; he ran out of the palace, and through the city with no intention of ever coming back.

* * *

Atemu was amazed. The supermarket, as hence labeled, really was 'super.' The last time that he'd been to a market of any kind was in France a little under 1000 years ago. Since then, at least 15 varieties of meat, pasta, and cereal were brought into play…not to mention all of the cleaning products that seemed to have popped up. Atemu, though he only bought enough food for a few weeks, spent far longer than necessary looking up and down the aisles at the ridiculous things that were trying to be pawned off as wonderful.

"Yami," Yugi said as they hit the tenth or so aisle. He was sitting in the cart, and had been quietly for a while now. Atemu was all done buying food like Cheerios, spaghetti sauce, milk, juice, and some of those nifty little fruit cup things, and was now marveling over the toilet cleaning products. Yugi was fading fast, "Yami, I'm tired."

At the sound of Yugi's voice, Atemu suddenly snapped back from his own little world, and he looked at the child with apology etched onto his features, "Oh, I'm sorry, Yugi. I haven't been out shopping in a long while."

"Can we go home now?" Yugi asked, followed by the cutest little yawn.

"Of course." Atemu said softly, thinking about the use of the word home with a very slight frown. He never stayed in a single house for long…what would Yugi do when the time came to pack up and leave?

After 10 minutes in the checkout line, a few disturbed glances from the cashier, and Atemu practically having a fit over the cost of food these days, he exited the building, two plastic bags in one hand and a sleeping Yugi in the other. Atemu smiled softly, as he had fallen asleep right in the cart.

At the sound of nearby steps, Atemu's smile straightened out and he held Yugi closer to him. At this, Yugi's arms tightened a little around his neck. There, walking across the parking lot were two people. They talked and staggered as if they were drunk, and then they looked right in his direction. Atemu thought that the two people looked familiar, and when he looked at their eyes; into their eyes, he saw recognition.

The focus of their gazes right was on _Yugi_.

Atemu turned and walked back to the Game Shop. He would've ran, but the two people just kept walking, still staring at what Atemu thought to be their son. He was also slightly weak, having not fed in a while. He was supposed to the previous night.

Besides, Atemu didn't want to ruin the groceries.

* * *

"Yugi, Yugi, wake up. We're…home," Atemu said, shaking Yugi lightly as he set him on the couch. Yugi mumbled incoherently, but opened his eyes nonetheless and yawned, "Are you hungry? You haven't eaten all day. Here," Atemu produced a spoon and a fruit cup and sat down next to Yugi, "Then you can go to sleep."

"Can I sleep with you again?" He asked, ignoring the fruit but grabbing Alphonse instead. That little smile was gone.

"Do you not like these? You told me that you did in the store," Atemu asked, but he forgot all about the food when Yugi shook his head and his eyes clouded over, "Is something wrong?"

"I saw my mommy and daddy," He said softly, and Atemu's heart would've stopped if it still beat. Yugi was sleeping, he couldn't of seen. "I had a dream, and they took me away."

"Yugi," Atemu said, putting the dinnerware on the coffee table and putting his arm around Yugi's waist, "Are you afraid of your parents?"

"I don't know. I was bad, that's why-"

"Yugi," Atemu said harshly, and the small boy flinched heavily. Atemu softened his tone, "You aren't a bad child in any way, shape, or form." He bit his lip, choosing what he was to say next carefully, "Do you know what abuse is?"

Yugi shook his head, "No…what is it?" He looked mildly interested, but scared on a whole different level.

"It's…it's when someone is hurt by someone stronger for no reason."

"So," Yugi started, understanding what Atemu was telling him, but not liking it. He was just too smart for someone so small, "My mommy and daddy really don't love me?"

Atemu couldn't answer. He just couldn't do that to the defenseless, broken child in front of him, and instead leaned over and kissed Yugi's hair softly. It smelled clean and fresh, "I love you, Yugi, and I'll always protect you, okay?"

"Even…even if my mommy and daddy take me away?"

"Even if they take you away, I promise," Atemu vowed, hugging the smaller tightly, but not too tight so he wouldn't hurt him. When he pulled away, Yugi's little finger was in front of him.

"Pinky swear?" Atemu wrapped his finger around Yugi's once more.

"Pinky swear."

* * *

"Yami, why don't you eat?" 

Atemu stopped with his internet research. It was midday, and he was trying to find a way to get a couple of fake Ids, insurance cards, and lives for the two of them,. He was almost there, too. All he had to do was submit the document, then he could go look for some type of job. Believe it or not, Atemu was very good with computer. After 3000 years one would know how to get fake documents. He had done it quite often.

"I do, Yugi," He said, turning around and watching Yugi eating fruit a little clumsily with a spoon, "Just not a lot."

"Oh," He replied, and Atemu turned around to submit the document. He picked his first name to be Yami, and his last, along with Yugi's, to be Atemu. Yugi said that he was three years old, and his birthday was on June 4, so Atemu went with that. Basically he made himself up a life story.

Yugi must have been a mind reader as well, because at Atemu's last thought Yugi spoke up again, "Yami, do you know any stories?" 

Atemu watched as the screen told him in 24 hours he'd be an official citizen of Japan. Only 24 hours until they'd be known as a family, "Of course I know stories. I know stories about Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome…all over. Do you want to hear one?" He stood up and may his way towards the smaller as Yugi put his food down on the coffee table.

"Egypt," Yugi said and climbed into Atemu's lap as soon as he sat down next to him. Alphonse soon followed, "One about Ancient Egypt?"

"Okay," Atemu said, wrapping his arms around Yugi, his crimson eyes glazing over with memories. Which one was he going to choose?

"There…was once a boy in Egypt, and he was a Prince. He had friends, too, friends that were poor, but he didn't care, because he liked them as people, not just rich and poor. But his Father…the Pharaoh of Egypt, didn't like him going out to see his friends, saying that he needed to study instead."

"That doesn't sound too fun," Yugi commented, shaking his head and making a little face. 

"No," Atemu agreed, giving Yugi a little bounce with his knee, "And the Prince didn't think so, either. Every morning and every night he'd sneak out to the greatest river in all of Egypt, the River Nile, to see his best friends. One of them was the prettiest girl in all of Egypt. The Prince loved her so much, and he wanted to marry her when he became Pharaoh."

"Did he?" Yugi asked, nuzzling into Atemu chest and hugging Alphonse. 

"No, he didn't," Atemu said, frowning at his painful recollection. He got over this years and years ago, but now it was hitting him hard, "He became Pharaoh, and she moved into the palace. She promised him that they'd have a baby together, and that they'd live happily in the palace for many years." Yugi's face was practically shining with anticipation. He knew that something was coming, "But before that could happen, she was turned into a bloodsucking demon. A vampire."

"Did she eat his blood?" Yugi asked, and Atemu could tell that he was getting anxious. He could hear his heart rate speeding up, and the vampire realized that maybe this wasn't the best story to tell to a child so young and broken.

But Atemu couldn't stop. Yugi's heart was beating so fast, and the vein in his throat was moving every time it pumped. He couldn't stop looking at it. He waned to taste it…so badly.

"Yes," Atemu said, "She drank until there was almost nothing left, and then she turned him like her." The vampire was now entranced by Yugi's throat, and he was having a hard time concentrating on anything else. He hadn't fed in over two weeks, and now that demon inside of him was struggling to get out, his voice faded with his concentration. 

"What happened then?" Yugi asked, apparently lost to the fact that Atemu was having an obvious mental struggle right behind him; a mental struggle that would determine if he lived or not.

"He-he drank," Atemu said, leaning forward and brushing his fangs across Yugi's neck. He smelled so sweet. Atemu wanted that sweet life-blood; he needed it. But he couldn't…he couldn't, no matter how badly he wanted it. He promised Yugi that he'd protect him.

But he wanted it.

"Yugi…Yugi, get out."

"What?" Yugi asked, his heart beat speeding up even more. The abrupt change in mood must have scared him just as much as it was scared Atemu.

"Get out." He said strongly, still running his teeth along his neck, trying not to bite. He wanted to so bad, but he couldn't…he couldn't…

"Yami, why?" Yugi asked, his voice climbing in pitch as he turned to face Atemu, whose red eyes were now clouded with blood-lust. One of his enlarged fangs caught onto Yugi's soft skin, and blood started to slowly leak out of the torn flesh. Atemu couldn't take it anymore. 

"Yugi, go! Run! Now!" Atemu yelled, standing up and sending the poor confused child to the ground. Atemu didn't see though, because he got to the kitchen as fast as he could, practically ripped open the refrigerator door, and pulled out a jar of pig's blood.

It was for emergencies only.

Atemu drank greedily; the blood was cold, but the vampire didn't care, and he let the liquid slide down his throat. It dribbled down his chin, and when he finished that one, he let it fall with a crash and he drank another. It was slow this time, though, at a steadier pace, as the demon began to regain control over his mind and emotions. 

Finally, Atemu's blood lust was satiated, and he fell to the floor with the force of it. What he had done sunk in with a seeping slowness, "Yugi…oh, Ra, Yugi…"

Atemu promised…he _promised_ that he'd protect Yugi, and look what happened. He had just kicked him out. He jumped up and ran downstairs to the shop, then opened the front door. Sunlight threatened him only mere feet away, "Yugi!" He screamed as loud as he could, but no one answered.

Atemu could see Yugi a ways down the road; he was walking slowly with his head down. Either he couldn't hear the vampire screaming, or he didn't want to.

Pinky swear.

Atemu stepped outside of the door and extended his hand out from the overhang, screaming Yugi's name over and over. The sun burned, and Atemu groaned as his dead flesh burned, bubbled, and blistered.

But he wouldn't take that hand away, "Yugi," He finally lowered his voice to a whisper as Yugi's image faded from view, and the pain in his hand became so extreme, so terrible, that with a forceful pull, Atemu fell back into the shadows, his vision black, his consciousness lost.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	5. Chapter 5

_Atemu ran through his home city, it was dark and the stars shone through the black curtain that was night. He ran past the people still in the streets, he ran past the people that stared at his blood red eyes and fevered features, and he outran his guards and servants that saw him leave._

At the city's edges, Atemu stopped. All that was out there was sand, and once the sun rose, he would burn. Now that he was 'alive' once more, and now that he'd drank for the first time, he didn't want to die. 

The sound of running water leaked into Atemu's ears, and suddenly it clicked, "The River Nile," He whispered to himself, and wove out of alleys until he met the banks of sand. They hit his torn and healed feet, and ran through his bare toes.

Atemu had never felt anything so beautiful, and the water was just as breathtaking. The blues and greens of the Nile fused and intertwined to make the black smooth glassy water; white ripples broke through the surface, and fish swam underneath. Down the river a ways, past a bend in its majestic current, were boats and ships.

That was his only way out.

But what about his people? Without an heir, would some sort of power struggle ensue? Would his people be endangered?

But Atemu had already fed off of and murdered one of his guards. Who would be next if he didn't leave?

No…this was the Gods' way of punishing Atemu for something…he didn't know what, but…he had to leave. That was his only other alternative…the only way…

"Atemu," The voice drifted to his ears just like it always did. It was the voice that he knew he'd long to hear forever, but the voice that he never wanted to hear again. 

"Nimataka," Her name rolled off of Atemu's tongue; he's said it so many times before. Even though he hated her for what she did, Atemu loved her, and he always would.

"My heart, don't do this," She said, taking is hand, "I made you like me for us. Don't leave me."

Atemu shook his head sadly, and leaned forward and brushed their lips together for the last time, "Goodbye, Nimataka."

And he was gone.

* * *

Atemu sniffed as he threw pieces of blood-stained glass into the garbage. He was only out for a couple of minutes, then woke up as his hand started to heal. He couldn't believe that Yugi was gone.

Of course he'd go and look for him when the sun set, but would Yugi even want to come back? And what if his parents found him? The chances were slim, but he promised that he'd protect him.

Atemu had even told Yugi that he loved him, and he meant every word. But what did he do? He practically ate the poor kid while he was so unsuspecting. How could Atemu have forgotten to feed for so long?

Atemu walked into the living room, where Alphonse was lying discarded on the floor. He picked the bear up and held it close; it smelled just like Yugi, and it did anything but calm him.

He fell backwards onto the couch, and, still holding onto the teddy bear as if his 'life' depended on it, Atemu cried himself to sleep. He cried because the one thing that he loved and was loved back in so long was gone; and it was all his fault. He cried because he thought that he was finally getting some slack…and the rope was pulled taught once more.

* * *

Yugi was scared; Yami kicked him out of his house, and he didn't know why. Yami pinky swore that he'd protect him, he even said that he loved him. What happened?

Yugi loved Yami back, too. Yami said nice things to him, and his hugs were nice, too. His skin was cold, but his eyes were warm, and Yugi liked to look at them.

Yugi walked back to the park, and sat next to a really big tree; the same one from a couple of nights ago. His hip hurt as his skin stretched; Yami knocked him into the table when he pushed him. If Yami didn't want him anymore, then he'd have to go back to his mommy and daddy, even if he didn't want to.

Yami said that he wasn't bad, that he was even good, but why did that matter? Yami didn't love him, he didn't pinky swear to that.

Yugi sat under the tree for hours; he was getting cold and hungry, and he wished that he had Alphonse to hold or Yami to hug. It wasn't fair, Yugi never did anything wrong.

Or did he?

A familiar pair of hands picked Yugi up and hugged him. It wasn't a nice hug, though, and Yugi couldn't breathe. He didn't like this, these hands were too familiar, too painful, and he didn't want it, "You haven't been a good boy, little Yugi…"

* * *

"Yugi!" Atemu screamed, shooting up to a sitting position, accidentally throwing Alphonse across the room in his shock. That wasn't a dream. It just wasn't. He could feel every emotion, every twinge of fear, confusion, and betrayal, and he could hear every one of Yugi's thoughts. They jumbled together, running across each other, through each other; turning into something else.

But now, he couldn't. He couldn't hear or sense anything, and even though Atemu had no idea as to how he established this mental bond, or if it went both ways, the loss of it scared him. Atemu wanted to get it back.

A look outside told him that it was dark, so, pausing only to pull on a pair of shoes, he ran off down the streets, somehow knowing exactly where to go to save Yugi. To protect him…to do what he promised to do.

* * *

_Yami…won't you come and save me? You promised…_

Atemu collapsed onto the bench in the park, the same one from a couple of nights ago. For the first time in a long, long while, Atemu was physically drained. Somewhere deep within him, all of him, he felt weak and tired, and he knew that only a very small part of it was due to his rapid intake of blood. He followed Yugi's scent, essence, whatever it was, as by now Atemu knew it well. He ran as fast as he could, and then he was drained.

He winced as he felt his skin being pulled apart at his temple. It was another dormant feeling: pain. Pain was proof that someone was alive, but Atemu wasn't alive.

"Yugi…"

This pain was Yugi's; this weak and helpless feeling, it was Yugi's, and that fear.

That belonged to both of them.

* * *

_Atemu blinked as he pulled his hood over his head. It was easy enough to sneak onto the boat, but the hard part was to somehow stay hidden on the small vessel. This was a peasant ship, with free transport to the Mediterranean, but after that, he was on his own. He had no money, but Atemu could worry about that later._

At this point, he just had to keep moving. Even though he shocked Nimataka and she watched him run off, she would be coming after him. She wouldn't give up, so neither would he.

"Where are you headed?" A man with his wife and young child asked. He didn't have many possessions, only enough to carry, but Atemu had nothing whatsoever.

"I…don't know," Atemu said heavily, almost dreamily, as he looked at the stars and the half-crescent moon in the sky. They were so beautiful, almost like a million little suns. "I'm leaving Egypt, that's all I know." He didn't want to look at them; he didn't want to let them see his crimson-red eyes or his face. They'd recognize it, he was sure, and they'd get afraid.

He was sure.

"Why? Not to be disrespectful, but I would never leave the kingdom. Not after Pharaoh Atemu took over. May he live a thousand years."

Atemu blinked, and as the baby in the woman's arms cooed playfully, Atemu once again realized all that he had lost. The corners of his eyes prickled woefully, "Yes…may he live a thousand years."

* * *

Atemu ran steadily, but with every one of those silent stomps, his sorrow got stronger, and his fatigue grew even more. Yugi kept calling out to him, and he talked back. Yugi always said the same things, though, and Atemu wasn't even sure if the small child could hear him. He wasn't even sure if Yugi was really there.

_Hold on, Yugi, I promised. Just remember that I promised, alright?_

Suddenly, Atemu's vision went black, and he lost all consciousness. He slumped forward and fell onto his chest, his head throbbing and screaming right at his temple, and with his awareness, colors and senses returned.

All except for one.

That sixth sense that he suddenly had was suddenly gone, and he had a horrible sinking feeling that he knew exactly why. He couldn't feel that pain in his temple anymore, and he no longer felt tired. But that was his clue that Yugi was still alive. Unlike him, if Yugi died, then that was it.

"Yugi, please hold on for me…I need you…" Atemu said, picking himself up and running at an increased speed. This time it was on blind faith alone.

* * *

Yugi didn't feel good. His head hurt and his stomach felt dizzy, and even though he couldn't see Yami, he could still hear him. _I'm coming, Yugi, I'm coming._

But when? His mommy and daddy weren't being nice; they said that he was extra bad, so he'd have to be punished extra, too. But Yami said that he wasn't bad, and that he'd never hurt him.

Yugi stiffly raised his chubby little fingers to his clotted neck. He had a bruise on his side, too, from where Yami knocked him down.

But Yami said that he loved him, didn't he? And he was coming to make Yugi feel better. He said that he was coming, and that he'd protect him. 

When did mommy and daddy ever say that? "Didn't…" 

Yugi didn't want to stay with his mommy and daddy; he wanted to stay with Yami, he loved Yami, and Yami said that what was happening to him was called abuse. Yugi wasn't sure about the whole thing, but it sounded bad. "Yami…"

"Who's Yami?" Yugi swallowed, and it got caught in his throat. They didn't leave, and wanted to make sure that he couldn't. He couldn't have left even if he wanted to, though.

Yugi's head started to ache again, "Look at me, Yugi…look at me!" Yugi painfully turned his head and torso to look at the dizzy, drunken mess that was his father. He didn't want to look at them, but he didn't want to look at the flame that his father held in his hand, either. His mother reached out, and Yugi winced as a head injury was revealed when she swept back his bangs. His shoulder started to hurt where Yami traced his scar; it hurt so bad last time, he didn't want it to happen again. Warm tears started to fall down his bloodied cheek.

It _was_ happening again, but why wasn't Yami here to save him?

_Hold on, Yugi…I promised…just remember that I promised, alright?_

The flame in Yugi's father's hand suddenly jumped forward and pressed into Yugi's injury. It burned, his blood boiled, and Yugi screamed. He had never felt anything like that before, and he didn't like it. He wanted Yami to come and help him. The flame went out and suddenly Yugi felt very tired and empty.

He closed his eyes, but he wasn't really asleep.

* * *

_This one…this is the house. Yugi, don't worry, I'm here._ Atemu thought, flexing his slender fingers before standing on his toes and prying the punctured screen out of the windowsill with his long fingernails. The house was partially run down, but Atemu's lived in worse. It really wasn't too bad, its problem was that it looked so impersonal.

It was so uninhabited that it looked lonely, empty, and 100 percent unwelcoming.

The window wasn't even closed…it was so careless! It was chilly at night now; anyone, especially a child, would get sick and cold.

He vampire supposed that was okay though, because Atemu was able to lift himself up and slide into the room without hassle.

The room that he ended up in was dark, cold, and plain. There were no bright colors, and it barely looked like it had all of the essentials. It wasn't at all fit for a toddler, hell, it wasn't fit for anyone with as bright an outlook. 

_Yami? Yami, you're here_. The voice in the vampire's head sounded like Yugi.

"Who the hell are you?" 

Before Atemu could get a chance to look for Yugi, a man at least 3 inches taller than him got right up close. Atemu recognized him and the woman behind him as the drunks outside of the supermarket, complete with the smell of alcohol, "The question is," He replied, anger taking over and fueling him, "Who do you think you are?"

While the man grimaced and fiddled with something in his shirt pocket, the woman's face dawned with recognition, "You-you're the man that took our Yugi away." 

Atemu's eyes flashed. The supposed 'our' was not a proclamation of love, but it was almost like…servitude. They didn't notice that Atemu was a monster; why should one be surprised by their own kind? "And you two are the ones that left him all alone when he was afraid." Suddenly Atemu felt more emotional than angry and cold, "How could you do that?" His anger flared back in a quick second, "How could you!"

"He's our son," The man said simply, "We can do whatever we wish." 

"What has he done? He's done nothing. Ever since I found Yugi, he's been sweet and kind…and afraid of you! He asked me if you two loved him! What was I supposed to say to that?"

"The truth," The woman snarled, "We don't."

Atemu froze; this wasn't happening. He was back in Egypt, and this was all a dream.

But it wasn't. Some people really did hate their children in this big bad world; some of them really hated what they themselves made, "You ungrateful whore!" Atemu pushed the man aside and in a heartbeat had his wife's neck in his shaking grasp, "I've wanted a child for three millenia, but I could only sit in the dark, watching what I couldn't have. I can't have one! I can't have something so simple…yet so complex, as a child! Do you know what that feels like? To be unable to create a miracle? And you get one, you got your miracle…and what do you do?"

Atemu didn't care that she wasn't breathing, he didn't care that he was going to crush her neck if he didn't let up, "You do your best to scare him, to break him…TO KILL HIM!" He wanted her to die. She only looked at him, her eyes filled with as much hate as the vampire's.

"You bastard!" The man screamed, regaining some confidence, and plunged the knife into Atemu's lower back. In his rage, Atemu didn't feel it, and effortlessly snapped the woman's neck as he swung around to face the man, ripping the knife out of his back as he went. It healed immediately.

"You, my friend, are the only bastard around here," Atemu snarled and cut through the man's throat with the knife. The slash was so deep that he was dead before he even hit the floor. Atemu watched for a few seconds, all thought lost. He wouldn't drink from them, not because he wasn't hungry, though. He wouldn't drink because they were tainted; they wouldn't taste good. He sat there, just staring, realizing that they deserved to burn for eternity more than he did. More than he ever would.

_Yami…_

Atemu's head turned to the source of the thought, and tears sprung to his eyes. The previous conflict was resolved, and he had already forgotten about it.

_Yugi,_Atemu offered softly, and he sat on the bed; close, very close, to Yugi. The child's eyes were lightly closed, and blood was dripping down his face, over his slightly parted lips, and down his chin. Atemu felt no need or yearn to drink that blood, none whatsoever. He couldn't, and he wouldn't try to, never again.

Atemu scooped Yugi into his arms and hugged the broken child very gently; Atemu himself could feel every ache, pain, and split in the child's body. And even though it was only a dull throbbing for him, it was much worse for Yugi, "It's okay, aibou," But it wasn't. "I'm here, I'll protect you, just like I promised." Atemu once again felt that fear; Yugi was in serious trouble. What if he died?

"You won't leave me…" Yugi murmured; he wasn't even coherent at this point, and he had no clue what was going on. Was Yugi in shock? Atemu didn't know what he should do; he couldn't take him to a hospital, not without credentials.

But they couldn't be separated now, Yugi couldn't go back. Atemu couldn't go back.

_Yugi, aibou…_ Atemu thought, trying to reach Yugi's presence in his own mind. Maybe he was stronger there.

_Yami…_ The smaller flickered in, _Yami…I'm scared…_

"Shh," Atemu said, rocking him back and forth very slowly. If he could feel Yugi's pain and weakness, then, maybe he could do it in reverse. Maybe Yugi could feel his mind.

_Aibou, you'll be okay, alright? I'm going to help you, okay?_ He slowly began to 'feed' Yugi, not only with his physical strength, but also with encouragement, love, and apology, "I'm sorry, aibou…I never should have let this happen. Never. I'll never ask you to leave again…never…" 

"Yami…I wanna go home," Yugi whispered, opening his pained and clouded violet eyes just a little.

"Okay," Atemu said, holding one of Yugi's little fists gently in his hands and softly kissing his knuckles, "Let's…let's go home." 

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	6. Chapter 6

_Yami…_

_Shh…its okay, Yugi, I won't leave._

…

It was nine o'clock at night when Atemu sat down in a recliner with Yugi cradled like a baby in the crook of one arm and a clean sponge in the other. A first-aid kit and a bowl of warm water sat on the lamp table next to them; Atemu had went to find them as soon as he set foot in the house with Yugi, who was still bleeding a little in his arms. Yugi was much more stable now, even though he hadn't spoken a single word since he jumped back out of the window.

Atemu had given Yugi only a small portion of his energy, that was all that the child would allow. Atemu didn't physically feel drained; he had fed and was fueled by adrenaline. He was just mentally exhausted. However, the two of them did use the mind link, even if Yugi only said that one word.

Atemu looked carefully at Yugi. An entire side of his face was covered in blood, and tear-stains down his cheek let Atemu know that there was still skin underneath. Yugi's sorrowful violet eyes weren't mismatched or unfocused, so he most likely didn't have a concussion. He was still out of it, though, and Atemu could feel his jumbled thoughts.

He simply felt _so bad_ for Yugi. 

Atemu gently pressed the sponge to the smaller's skin and slowly dabbed the blood off of his pale cheek. He had no urge to taste it, and really didn't want it, _Tell me if I hurt you, okay?_

Yugi nodded slightly and closed his fist over Atemu's free thumb; it was the first movement he'd made since they'd gotten home. It was reassuring to Atemu in ways he didn't think were possible. 

Yes, this was their home now. Atemu was done running, as he hadn't seen nor heard of Nimataka in over 3000 years. She was gone now, and Atemu finally accepted it. He finally learned to let go. He had a child now, and he knew that Yugi was going to be dependant on him for a lot of things, including stability and some constants. 

Those constants had to be comfortable, meaning not always running away.

…_hurts_,Yugi mumbled through the link as Atemu softly brushed away his blood-stained bangs and began to dab at the wound that went from his temple to the center of his eyebrow on the right side. The blood had started to cake, so at least the bleeding had stopped, but Atemu had to apply some more force to remove it. Apparently, it was too much.

_I'm sorry, aibou, but I need to clean it up…_ He tried to brighten up his thoughts and his always dreary mind hoping that it would do the same to the broken child in his arms, but he doubted that it would do anything. _Will you be brave while I clean it up? It'll only take a minute, okay?_

_Okay…_ He thought, peering at Atemu through half-lidded eyes. Yugi was always brave, _Yami…I'm tired…I wanna go to sleep._

Atemu blinked slowly. There was still the chance that Yugi did have a concussion, and he could have been hurt otherwise. If he fell asleep, would he ever wake up? "Aibou…you need to stay awake while I clean you up, and you need to eat, okay?" 

With one last slow swipe the remainder of the blood was washed away, revealing burnt edges of skin. Someone had placed a lighter or a match to this wound; how could anyone be so cruel? Atemu carefully tape a small piece of gauze over it. The wound wasn't particularly large, but it was serious, "Better?"

Yugi nodded, his voice quiet, "Yes." But it wasn't; Atemu wasn't sure if it ever would be.

"Come on, aibou," Atemu said, standing up slowly. He suddenly felt a dull pain in his side, and Yugi winced, _I'm sorry, aibou…I'll…come on, let's go take a bath…_

Atemu held Yugi with the smaller's chin on his shoulder and hugged him very gently once more, "Yugi, nothing like this will ever happen ever again, okay? I'll never abandon you like that ever again. I'm sorry, Yugi." The corners of his eyes prickled again, and Atemu had a feeling that the only reason that someone cried was because they cared, "I'm sorry." 

"Yami," Yugi said, wrapping his arms loosely around Atemu's neck, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Yugi," Atemu said, smiling just the slightest bit as he made his way to the bathroom.

* * *

_"Hey, handsome," A young girl around Atemu's age said to him on the wooden ship heading off to Ra-knows-where, "You look lonely…"_

"I'm sure I do," Atemu said, "The lonely often do look as such." He was looking out onto the sea, where he could see the fuzzy horizon of that unknown world. They'd been out there on the sea for two days, and it was, at the time, about an hour until dawn. Then he would go below deck and sleep.

"You look like a nice man…" She said, fingering his hooded robe, "I'm lonely, too…I have no one. It's not fair, no one should be lonely."

"Of course," Atemu said, turning his head and staring her into her eyes; she gasped at his crimson irises, "Except for the damned." He fingered his fangs lightly, still not quite used to them, apparently pondering his next move, "And I'm damned."

She let out a helpless muffled yelp as Atemu bit into her, took a few gulps of her sour tainted blood, and snapped her neck in a single motion. Dropping the now dead body into the salty sea, Atemu crossed his arms and made his way below deck to soak in the darkness.

…same with the desperate.

* * *

"Aibou, Yugi…where did you get this bruise?" Atemu asked, brushing his fingertips over a purple-green bruise that his stripped away clothing revealed. It was on Yugi's side. The child didn't answer, though, and twirled his hands through the foamy soap in front of him, "Was it your parents?" Atemu's heart would of picked up if he had one. Yugi still wouldn't answer, and his mind was dark, "Was it…me?" 

Yugi didn't say anything for a few seconds, and bit his lip lightly before answering with his own question, _Why did you tell me to leave?_ He asked, his eyes welling up. Atemu, deciding that Yugi was clean enough, grabbed a towel and lifted him out of the tub. 

"Aibou…" Atemu said, carrying him back out into the house and to the kitchen, where he opened the refrigerator door and took his last jar of blood into his other hand. Yugi eyed it curiously, almost like he eyed Atemu when he first found him. "Do you…know what this is?"

Yugi's little fingers traveled to the tiny nick in his neck, "Are you like the Prince? Are you a…vampire?"

Atemu put the jar back into the refrigerator as he didn't need it. Yugi was just so wise, "Do you see it now? You might be cut up now, and it might hurt, but it'll go away."

Well, most of it. There were some wounds that would never heal, "If I drank from you, then you wouldn't be here with me right now." Atemu hugged Yugi again and kissed his hair. He never wanted to lose Yugi, even though one day or another he would.

But not now, not today, and not for many years. 

_Yami…_ Yugi thought, nuzzling into Atemu, _I want to stay with you forever._

* * *

Rome: 678 bc

_300 years; Atemu had been a vampire for 300 years. He'd killed countless animals and hundreds of people, yet he knew that this was only the beginning of it all. He overpowered everything, and everyone that he made contact with was destroyed._

All except one. Whenever Atemu slept, which he did do a lot of, he was reminded of all those sleepless nights with Nimataka. He remembered those hours of passion, and love in its truest form. But it was all gone now.

He constantly saw her. Whether his crimson eyes were opened or closed, she was always there.

He fed about once a week; sometimes more, sometimes less. It depended on what he wanted. Atemu always did what he wanted, yet it just wasn't enough. What he wanted most of all, what he had always wanted, he just couldn't have.

Atemu pinned a man to a built up brick wall. He practically reeked of upper-class, yet his tunic was worn and tattered. Atemu saw him; every night for a week he walked the streets of Rome, smiling like a fool, too happy to be pure.

And that night, Atemu was hungry. He leaned over and opened his mouth, the awaiting vein practically jumping into his throat.

"Alexis!" A voice…a woman's voice. Atemu released the man, his self-induced trance broken, and whipped around to see a woman in a long white tunic; a woman that looked eight months pregnant. Atemu was just about to kill a pregnant woman's husband.

He ran.

* * *

Atemu sat with Yugi, who slept on and off, for what seemed like hours. Yugi laid there in Atemu's arms, Alphonse loosely cuddled in his arms, sometimes quietly dozing, other times crying audibly. Sometimes it was a mixture of the two. Atemu tried not to sleep; he just wanted to watch Yugi and comfort him when needed. After all, it was his fault. Atemu still couldn't believe that he allowed himself to be so careless; the consequences were just too tough.

Atemu's eyes slid shut and his forehead slumped down to his chest. He was so tired, and he felt so comfortable, almost warm. Consciousness slowly left him as he fell into a nice slumber.

Soon he felt _too_ warm, though.

_Yami…Yami!_ Atemu's eyes shot open, and he found Yugi sweating and shivering uncontrollably in his arms. Alphonse was discarded onto the floor. Atemu quickly, even for vampire standards, raised his free hand, as the other was being held onto by Yugi for dear life, and placed his palm on Yugi's moist cheek. Even though any living thing felt warm to Atemu, this was just too much. Yugi had a fever, and by the looks of it, a bad one.

"Yugi…oh Ra, Yugi…you have a fever," Atemu said quietly…terrified. He had no clue what was happening inside of Yugi's small body. Did he have a cold? Or was it an infection? Could it have been something else entirely? He stood up and cradled Yugi, who's mouth was slightly open, releasing ragged breaths, in his arms, "Come on, Yugi, I'm going to help you, okay?"

_Where…are we…going?_ Yugi asked as Atemu stepped outside into the cool night air. He shivered again, and Atemu just rocked him, having no body heat to share.

"To…" Atemu swallowed, having a hard time getting the words out, "To the hospital." He let this get too far. Yugi should've been taken to a doctor as soon as they left the child's old house. He didn't have any papers or insurance yet, so Yugi would be taken away, and who knew what would happen to Atemu himself. But it didn't matter. Yugi came first.

"No," Yugi said, shaking his head, "No, I don't want to." Tears started to form in his wide eyes, "They'll make me go back to mommy and daddy. I don't want to, please don't, Yami…"

Atemu's face froze as he walked; Yugi didn't know that his parents were dead. But would it be smart to tell the smaller of what Atemu did to them? Would things change for the worse? "I'm sorry, Yugi, but I don't know what else to do." Atemu realized that not only could vampires not create a child, but they couldn't raise one, either. He promised to protect Yugi, and if the only way to do that was to give him up, then…so be it. "I have to, aibou…"

He started to walk again, ignoring the fact that Yugi was crying softly but piteously in his arms. Once again, these tears from the child were all his fault. It was all his fault that the one person he loved in 3000 years was crying. He may not have damned Yugi, but he was no better than Nimataka.

_Yami, please…please, I don't want to, I don't feel good…I want to go home, please,_ Yugi pleaded, still shivering, and still crying. Atemu did his best to block out his sad voice and sobs, but he still found himself rocking Yugi's small form back and forth, trying to comfort him. What was going on? 

_Yami, I want to stay with you forever._ Atemu stopped dead. At that moment, while Yugi had most likely nothing more than a slight fever, Atemu was willing to give him up to make it go away. 

Yet only a few hours ago, when Yugi was bleeding, in shock, and practically dying, Atemu had killed two people so that they wouldn't be separated. They weren't kidding when they said that love was often a mess.

Atemu would have kept walking; he probably should have kept walking, but with Yugi still staring at him, his watery round eyes silently pleading, Atemu knew that they needed each other, and they didn't want to separate, either. Atemu hugged Yugi to his chest once again and kissed his forehead softly, avoiding the wound. The crisp night air was already cooling his fevered skin, and Atemu sighed an unneeded breath; he'd almost made a horrible mistake…again, "Yugi, I'm sorry…aibou. Come on, I'll take care of you."

Yugi shivered again in Atemu's lifeless grasp, and the vampire turned around and quickly walked back to the Game Shop. Yugi was asleep before Atemu opened the door, and he didn't stir as Atemu softly dabbed at his face with a cool facecloth. When he was done, he wrapped them both in a rather large blanket, and Atemu reflected on how much he gained just by having that small, living breathing child snuggled in his arms:

An outlook, a future, and humanity.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, because Yugi woke up, Atemu cleaned out his injury and rebandaged it. Every time Atemu touched the wound, Yugi would squirm uncomfortably and make small noises of discontentment, and, well, Atemu could only agree. The cut was deep, and the edges of the slit were red and raw. It would heal in time, sure, but the emotions with it…never.

_Yami…_ Atemu's gaze focused as he heard Yugi's voice in his mind. He didn't know how this link came about, and, quite frankly, neither of them cared. Atemu looked at the child, but he was still sleeping, _Yami, Yami help!_

Yugi," Atemu said softly, shaking the smaller a little forcefully, "Aibou, wake up."

Yugi's eyes snapped open, and his irises immediately clouded over. Atemu suspected that it was a nightmare caused by the presence of his fever, "Yami, I…I'm scared."

"It's alright, aibou. Nothing will hurt you anymore, okay? Remember? I said that I'd protect you?"

Yugi nodded, "I'm thirsty." He said softly."

"Alright," Atemu said, standing up, "Let's get some juice, okay?" He was positive that Yugi was going to beat this…he was strong. That, and he was just so adorable. He'd beat it, and Atemu knew that it wouldn't take him 3000 years.

* * *

For the whole rest of the day, Yugi and Atemu slept, ate, and slept some more. It would have been nice to say that it was a nice, warm-and-fuzzy-feeling type of day, but it wasn't. Yugi would try to smile when Atemu hugged him, and he would try to laugh when he was tickled in the stomach, but, just as that happy action started, it stopped, and was often replaced by tears. 

His fever returned at one point as well, and he wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, and became so fidgety and antsy that Atemu had to hold him down while trying to cool his fevered flesh with a towel. Later rather than sooner, he fell asleep again, and Atemu, not wanting to wake him, took Yugi to the supermarket while he dozed. 

At the store, Atemu didn't have any difficulties, save the large amount of pills to choose from, and returned home a short time later with clothes to finish off Yugi's wardrobe, books as Atemu didn't think that his stories would cut it anymore, and nifty grape-flavored chewable painkillers/fever reducers.

"Yami?" Yugi asked, waking up when the last of the goods were put away, "I…I don't feel good."

"Where does it hurt, aibou?" Atemu asked, sitting down in the middle of the living room floor with a pill and a book, "Will you tell me?"

Yugi pointed to his head, and Atemu grimaced when he pointed to his bruised side. His eyes narrowed when Yugi put a hand to his stomach, "My 'tomach's dizzy."

"Your stomach hurts? Are you going to throw up?" He shrugged, "Are you hungry?" Another shrug. Atemu was once again at a loss, "Well, if you eat this, you'll feel a little bit better, okay?"

"…okay," Yugi said, and did as he was told. As Atemu held him close and thought about various things, Yugi started flipping through the book, looking at the pictures and tracing the illustrations with a gentle fingertip, then…reading the words.

"Can…can you read, aibou?" Atemu asked, noticing that Yugi's mind was laced with comprehension and understanding.

"A little," He said quietly, then stiffened, "My mommy and daddy would leave me all alone, so…so…I learned myself…"

"Oh, Yugi," Atemu said piteously, hugging Yugi as the book fell to the ground. Yugi buried himself into Atemu's chest as more tears started to fall, "Shh, aibou, it's alright…you're okay," Atemu whispered, rocking back and forth. It wouldn't take Yugi 3000 years to bounce back or climb up for the first time, but it would still take longer than Atemu was willing to see the innocent boy cry.

* * *

A few days went by, as well as new tears, and just a few smiles and giggles. With the mail came a nice social security check, some not so nice bills, and a very nice insurance card with the name 'Yugi Atemu' written on it. As soon as Atemu got the email confirming his existence, Atemu went online job hunting and got one as an online assistant at KaibaCorp, the largest gaming corporation in the world. He also now had a constant supply of blood from the local butchery; the butcher just didn't know.

All of this was very nice, even though something else was very wrong. Yugi was no longer eating. He refused to swallow any food substances, and Atemu had to practically force him to drink anything, even water. His bruise had faded, but his head was barely healing. It was still incredibly grotesque, and Atemu could barely look at it without getting disgusted. It scared him, and he didn't understand it. Apparently, his only hope was a pediatrician.

"Yami?" Yugi asked as they sat in the waiting room, Atemu's hand cramped up from the amount of paper work he needed to complete, "What's a pee-dee-a-ttrition?"

Atemu smiled from behind a pair of sunglasses, "It's a doctor."

"Why don't they just call it a doctor?" Yugi asked, crawling into Atemu's lap. He looked very tired, and his eyes weren't as vibrant as Atemu remembered. It saddened him to see Yugi looking so sick.

Atemu was saved the hassle of coming up with a less-than-accurate answer because a nurse stepped into the waiting area, "Yugi Atemu?"

* * *

"Mr. Atemu, can I please speak with you outside for a minute?" Dr. Jones, a mid-aged man asked Atemu after he measure Yugi's height and weight and sat him in a room with a box of toys.

"Yami," Yugi said, dropping the blocks in his hand to look at Atemu hurriedly. His shirt was removed, and Atemu knew that the look that he was getting from Jones was because of his scar and the now uncovered wound on his forehead. 

"Don't worry, aibou," Atemu said, tapping his head for meaning, "I'll be right here, I'm just stepping outside for a minute. I'll be right back, I promise."

"Okay," Yugi said, averting his eyes and looking downtrodden, and Atemu sighed another unneeded breath before following Jones outside of the door.

"Mr. Atemu, I think you know what I'm going to say," He said, crossing his arms, "And…I'm just glad that you have come to your senses. I'm sure that child services can find a nice home for your son."

Atemu blinked at the word 'son,' then comprehended what was just said to him, "What? No, no, you…I don't understand." He should've known that something like this was going to happen; how could he have missed it?

"It's clear that Yugi has been abused," He said, staring distractedly at Atemu's teeth and sunglasses, "Even without any blood tests I can see that he's undernourished, I know for a fact that he's underweight…the scar on his shoulder and his head injury…not to mention the fact that he's clearly unhappy. This is the first time he's been to a doctor since he was born. How can you not understand?" 

"I didn't," Atemu said softly, his eyes prickling, "Why would I be here now…I wouldn't be trying to help…he's had that head injury for a week, and its not healing. I try to get him to eat. but he won't. I thought that you could help. I need Yugi," Atemu rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses, while the doctor looked on thoughtfully.

"How did he get that injury? Why didn't you bring him in a week ago?" He asked, looking almost sorry for the cracking man in front of him, as if he wanted to believe what he was being told even though all of the evidence told him otherwise.

"I just got a job a couple of days ago, and I didn't have insurance until now. As for the injuries…" Atemu paused, "It was his mother, but--" Atemu's eyes hardened, "I kicked her out. Doctor, I'm just getting on my feet. I'm only just out of school, after all. Is there anything that I can do to prove this to you?"

The doctor stared at Atemu for a full thirty seconds, blinking and breathing slowly, scrutinizing. Atemu couldn't stare back; he was scared again. It seemed like every one wanted to separate the two, but…"Come back in a week. Keep him drinking fluids, get him to eat. I'll do an examination next week. Mr. Atemu. Yugi's a cute, sweet kid. I hope I'm not making a wrong decision. If you don't come in next Friday, at this time, then expect a visit from the police."

"Don't worry, Doctor," Atemu said, a sort of joy and hope filling him. This was his chance to prove to everyone that this could work, "I love Yugi. I can't live without him," Atemu saw the bitter irony in that, but he didn't care. He didn't live without Yugi by his side. Without him, he just existed, "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."

The doctor nodded and left the hall, probably to go check out other children with non-dysfunctional families. When Atemu walked back into the room, Yugi was trying to slip his shirt over his head. Atemu sat down and pulled the garment on fully before picking Yugi up and hugging him.

"I'm sorry, Yami," Yugi said, and Atemu noticed that the smaller was beginning to cry, "I didn't mean to…"

"What?" Atemu said, and he threw his head back in utter loss, "Yugi, you heard us." Atemu took Yugi's fist in his hand and squeezed it lightly. Now he knew the stakes, too…

_Are they going to take me away?_ Yugi asked as Atemu stepped out of the building and into the early night. It was cold, and Yugi shivered.

Atemu couldn't answer, as he truly didn't know. This was going to be a test, and Atemu barely knew the subject, let alone the criteria, "I love you, aibou. Remember that. We're gonna win this, okay? We're gonna stay together. We just need to help each other, okay?" He kissed Yugi's hair softly and felt the child's forehead. His fever was only slight.

Hopefully this wasn't the calm before the storm.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	8. Chapter 8

Two days passed. Those two days were pretty much the same as the past week, but now Atemu was getting desperate.

"Yugi, please have some," Atemu said, holding a small mouthful of spaghetti in front of the smaller's face. Atemu was so tired; he needed sleep, but Yugi's fever mounted again the previous day, so he was up for multiple hours with the smaller, who still would not eat and drank only a sip or two at a time. "I know that I can't cook very well, but won't you try?" 'Not cooking well' was an understatement, as mostly everything that Atemu cooked turned out black and crispy.

Sadly that wasn't the reason why Yugi wouldn't eat.

He didn't answer, though, and only hugged Alphonse to his chest, hiding his face and eyes from view.

Atemu blinked and surrendered, putting his bowl and spoon on the table to join the Cheerios, milk, and orange juice that sat abandoned. He sat on the couch and pulled Yugi into his lap, in which Yugi sniffed and allowed himself to be hugged tightly without complaint.

Yugi was getting weaker by the day. He didn't sleep or eat, and he wouldn't even talk, let alone laugh. Smiles were rare. Now keeping Yugi and Atemu together was not number one priority. At this point, the only thing Atemu cared about was making Yugi happy and healthy, even though at the moment he was neither. If Atemu didn't do something soon, then Yugi would die.

Cold, dead tears started to drop onto Yugi's spiky hair.

_Yami?_ Yugi asked, raising his head out of the bear, noticing that something was not right. Atemu didn't answer, he couldn't, _Yami, are you crying? Why?_

Atemu now flat-out buried his head into Yugi's soft hair, _Because…I can't…_

_Can't what?_ He asked, blinking.

_I can't make you better. I can't heal your wounds, and I can't dry your tears. I can't make you laugh or smile anymore, and I can't even begin to help you forget what you don't want to remember./_ Atemu breathed in the soft scent of Yugi, and if his heart were beating it would have screamed, _I love you, aibou, but I'm not good at this, and I can't stand seeing you so depressed. If can't make you better, then I'll lose you forever. I don't want to lose you, Yugi…that's why…_

Atemu was spared any more words by Yugi, who stood up, dropped Alphonse, and hugged Atemu weakly around the neck, _Yami…I don't want to get taken away, I wanna stay here…you love me._

"Will…will you try, then, Yugi?" Atemu asked, biting his lip with one of his fangs, though he didn't use enough pressure to break the skin, "You don't have to eat a lot, just a little. I know that your stomach is still sick, but it'll go away once you eat, alright?" He reached over and grabbed the spaghetti as Yugi sat back down, "Try?"

Yugi nodded and accepted the small amount of food into his mouth. As he slowly chewed, swallowed, and hesitantly allowed another bite, Atemu sniffed and smiled a little.

It was a start.

Sooner, rather than later, Yugi shook his head and would accept nothing other than a bit of orange juice. When he was done with that, Atemu hugged him tightly, new and old emotions rising to the surface. He sent appreciation and pride through their mind link, "Yugi, I am so proud of you…"

Yugi, having gotten something inside of his stomach, didn't say anything, but snuggled right up close to Atemu's chest and fell asleep. Before closing his own crimson eyes, Atemu listened to the sound of Yugi's steady, strong heart and deep breathing.

It was okay that Atemu didn't have a heartbeat. It just made him appreciate Yugi's that much more.

* * *

The next time that Yugi and Atemu were both awake was on Tuesday morning. When Yugi looked at him with innocent violet eyes, there was a little bit of spark that Atemu was happy to see, "Morning, aibou…are you hungry?"

_I…don't want to,_ Yugi said, slipping out of Atemu's lap and making his way to the bathroom. Atemu used this opportunity to take a quick drink. He didn't want to feed in front of Yugi, Ra knew that the kid's seen enough blood. Atemu was just putting the jar away as Yugi reappeared, Alphonse clasped in his arms.

Atemu unwrapped a fruit cup and grabbed a spoon, "Try?" Atemu sat down right there on the kitchen floor and Yugi reluctantly joined him. As the smaller slowly and not steadily at all picked at the fruit, Atemu spoke, "Yugi, I need to talk to you." Yugi stared, confused, his eyes showing slight fear, "No, no, it's nothing bad, keep eating." He waited until Yugi complied, then started again, "I'm going to take you back to the doctor on Friday, and he's going to be asking me a lot of questions about your head and your shoulder. Anything that I tell him, you have to agree with it. If he asks you something, I'll send the answer to your mind, okay?" 

"Okay," Yugi said, putting down the mostly eaten cup and spoon. Any other child would have said that telling lies was bad, but not Yugi.

That was so mature, yet so sad.

"Pinky swear?" Atemu asked, holding out the slender digit. Yugi agreed, and Atemu picked him up and threw away the remaining fruit, "Okay, I'll give you a bath, but then I have some work to do on the computer."

* * *

The next three days passed. Yugi's fever had finally fully abated, and through his injury was still not a sight to look at, a sort of film had developed over it, signaling that it was finally starting to heal. Every night Yugi slept just a little bit more, but would immediately wake up and start to cry whenever Atemu left the room. Atemu knew that it wasn't Yugi's fault; he was just vulnerable.

Otherwise, Yugi only cried a little, like when he thought of his parents. Atemu still didn't tell him that they were dead.

"Yami?" Yugi asked, sporting a new winter jacket as they walked the streets of Domino on Friday night, "Why are your eyes green?"

"Well," Atemu said, "They're contacts. You see…not too many people like red eyes." This was immediately followed by a 'why?', so the vampire continued, "Because they are different, and many people don't like different things.

"Why?"

"I don't know why, aibou. They just don't." Atemu knew that he himself didn't like change, and that was why he wasn't in Egypt at the moment.

He just couldn't figure out the reason.

"What about your teeth?" Yugi asked, smiling because he was amused and also to make a point.

"Well," Atemu smiled as well, showing off his sharp shiny pearly-whites, "I don't think he'll ask, but I'll tell him that I just was born this way." Atemu smile straightened out as he remembered something important, "Just remember what I told you, okay? I'll help you answer questions, right?"

_'Kay, Yami,_ Yugi said, and the two entered the hospital once more, their spirits up so much since the last week.

* * *

"He's gained a pound," Doctor Jones said, looking over his paperwork as Yugi was pointing out shapes on a poster to a doctor nearby. The man was smiling, but Atemu couldn't tell whether that was a good smile or a bad one.

"Um," He started, blinking; those contacts were itchy, "That's good, right? He…doesn't have much of an appetite, I'm afraid…" 

"It's a start, Mr. Atemu," He said pleasantly, looking up from his clip board and changing his manner completely, "To be honest, I didn't think that you'd be back tonight. You must really love him."

"I do," Atemu said quietly, watching as Yugi's blood pressure was taken. He didn't really understand the point of it, but he'd just go with it, "I don't know what I'd do without him. He's such a kind, sweet boy. I don't know why his pa-mother could do such a thing without a thought. I can't even stand to see him cry." Atemu found it nice to be able to talk to someone about at least a little of his feelings. It felt good.

"He seems so happy now," The doctor observed, "…How?" What did you say? Do?"

"Well…" Atemu mused, waving at Yugi from across the room, "Apparently Yugi doesn't like it much when I cry, either. We had a talk, and after that there was no where else to go but forward."

* * *

5 needles…5! Atemu didn't understand how Yugi could stand to have that amount of sharp objects that were bigger than his arm get plunged into his skin. He really didn't understand why Yugi barely flinched, though that nice red lollipop might have had something to do with it.

"Okay, Mr. Atemu," Dr. Jones said as Atemu helped Yugi slip on his jacket and picked him up, "Overall, your son is healthy. His head wound is healing slow, but still, it's healing, and that's what we want. All that you really have to do is to keep him eating, and I suggest some type of vitamin to help him along. I'll see you in 6 months?" 

Atemu nodded, trying to suppress his rather large smile, "Six months it is," He returned, shifting so that he could shake the man's hand. Jones flinched a little when he met Atemu's cold skin, but other than that, he didn't react, "Thank you…thank you for everything."

_Yami?_ Yugi asked as he snuggled against Atemu when they left the building. He closed his violet eyes, and Atemu knew that it was only a matter of time before the smaller fell asleep, _Does this mean that I get to stay with you?_

_Yes,_ Atemu said, hugging his aibou tightly and kissing his hair, _We get to stay together. Thank you, aibou…we did it._

* * *

With Yugi's healing injury, the promise that they'd get to stay living together, and a rather large container of colorful animal shaped vitamins, life went on in the form of weeks for Atemu and Yugi. The vampire worked on the computer for a large portion 5 days a week, stopping at frequent intervals to hold Yugi and to spend time with him. The poor kid was very clingy, and still would not sleep alone.

There were still nightmares, too. Atemu had flashes of those dreams when he was also asleep; they were of memories with his parents, and the vampire soon learned where each of his scars came from, along with other cuts, nicks, and bruises. It was absolutely terrible.

But the nightmares were getting shorter and shorter, and most of the time Yugi even slept through them. When he woke up, though, shivering and crying, Atemu whispered sweet nothings to the smaller and rocked him back to sleep.

One night Yugi didn't have a nightmare at all, and the next morning had a few more smiles than the last.

It was a wonderful feeling for the vampire, seeing Yugi bounce back from his bout of depression. After two more days of no nightmares, Yugi seemed just as happy as any other three year old. He laughed and smiled at silly little things, and he ate more, most of the time needing only a small persuasion. He never asked for food, though, and only ate when Atemu asked if he wanted something. Atemu asked often.

Otherwise, Yugi read books and sang songs. He made forts out of boxes and laundry baskets, threw Cheerios at Atemu when things got too quiet, and ate them when he was hungry. He was just the most adorable little thing, and that shortage of nightmares brought about solace. They had water fights in the tub, and Atemu learned that many foods weren't about to be eaten twice. They never talked about…

It was on both of their minds, that was obvious, but as of late, Yugi seemed content to just forget. Atemu could see him trying, and he tried to help as much as possible, but he couldn't. Even though his temple would heal, he'd still have a scar, and it would probably end up more grotesque than the one on his shoulder. He'd cover it up with his thick blond bangs, though, and no one would know any better.

He'd do the same for his clouded mind as well, by smiling and laughing, but Atemu would know. Atemu could see his eyes, and past that glow the glittering was just a dull flame…of memories.

"Come here, aibou," Atemu said after wrapping Yugi in a towel and sitting with him on the toilet seat after a bath one morning. It was about a month since that night, and even by slow standards his wound should've been almost healed, "Let's take off that bandage." 

"Okay," Yugi said, kicking his feet and wiggling his little toes playfully. Atemu smiled and swept his blond bangs into the black and red mass of thick hair, then raised one of his long finger-nailed index fingers and peeled away the medical tape stuck to his soft skin. Yugi stiffened as his hair was tugged on, but Atemu broke the strand with his free hand with no harm done.

"It's almost healed, aibou," Atemu said pleasantly, running his own surprisingly soft thumb over the rough scab protecting the forming flesh underneath. "I don't think that I need to bandage it again, but I think that I should clean it one more time, okay?" 

Yugi stopped kicking his feet, "Do you have to?" 

Atemu hugged his chibi and kissed his damp hair, "I know it hurts, aibou, but this is the last time, okay? I promise that I won't have to do it again."

Pinky swear?" Yugi asked, shifting to watch Atemu unscrew a huge bottle of peroxide. Atemu complied with a slight smile, then pretty much drenched a washcloth in the stuff. At first Atemu thought that it would work if he poured the liquid on directly, but…that was a no for various reasons."

"Okay, aibou, close your eyes," He let Yugi hold onto his outstretched finger, then lightly pressed the cloth to the scab. It sizzled just a little, and Yugi's hand and eyes clenched. Atemu withdrew the cloth after a few more gentle swipes, and saw that a few bubbles had formed, signaling the killed germs, "Okay, Yugi. All done."

Yugi opened his beautiful violet eyes, a question forming in their depths, "Yami, why don't you get hurt?"

Atemu bit the inside of his lip, "I…just haven't."

"But," Yugi said, pouting a little, "But you touched the hot water when you made pas-ghetti. I saw the smoke."

Atemu sighed; sometimes Yugi was just too smart, "Well, Yugi, vampires --especially the old ones-- don't get hurt. And if they do, then they heal right away."

Yugi giggled, "Can I be a vampire?" 

Atemu frowned. He truly hoped that Yugi was kidding, and shook his head, "I can't, aibou." Yugi pouted again. No matter how smart and mature he was, Yugi, after all, was still a child, and he wouldn't understand. He didn't understand. He might, if Atemu turned him, be happy for a while, but, sooner or later, Yugi would want to grow up. Atemu was fine, he was done growing, and besides, others found the ex-Pharaoh/vampire/parental figure rather attractive, "Why don't you ask when you're older."

"How old?" Yugi asked, his pout now replaced with curiosity. 

"You'll…know when you're ready," Atemu said, standing up to help Yugi get dressed. Hopefully he'd change his mind, because once Yugi grew up, if he asked again, Atemu wasn't sure if he'd be able to resist.

Yugi, whether he meant it or not, said that he wanted to stay with Atemu forever. How Atemu wanted that, too, to stay with someone he loved and to be loved back until the world ended. Sometimes, especially when he was alone when others basked in the sun with friends, he wished that he stayed with Nimataka, in Egypt.

But then he remembered why he couldn't go out into the sun in the first place; it was a losing battle that always seemed to rage in his head, but now it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered now was the pale half-dressed boy in front of him. Atemu dropped to his knees gracefully to help Yugi pull his shirt over his head, _I love you, Yugi._

* * *

A few days later, when the previous night had the last of Yugi's scab peel away, leaving an ugly scar shaped almost like a eye, Atemu lay on the couch, resting on his back, clad in only a pair of blue boxers. His legs were spread, and one ankle touched his opposite knee, forming a closed gap. In that gap sat Yugi, who was watching a spot on Atemu's inner thigh with great interest.

Atemu was awoken by warm feather-like touches in a set pattern. His crimson vampire eyes opened blearily, and he found Yugi starting at his leg, tracing it with a fingertip, "Aibou, what's wrong?" He hoped that it wasn't a leech.

"What's this?" He asked, pointing as Atemu pulled his into his lap and kissed his forehead, right where his scar was.

"That, aibou, is my cartouche." Atemu said, smiling at his always interested Yugi.

"Car-toosh?" Yugi sounded out, blinking, "What's that?"

"It was proof that I was Pharaoh, back in Egypt." Atemu said, quite comfortable with the information he was divulging.

"Are you old?" Yugi asked, cocking his head.

"Very old," Atemu replied, nodding his own, "I'm over 3000 years old, but," He added quickly while Yugi sat, an amazed look etched onto his features, "You have to keep it a secret. Pinky swear?" 

Yugi hooked his pinky around Atemu's and eagerly agreed, "Pinky swear." They sat there in silence for a long while, thinking and enjoying each other's company, "Yami, remember the story you told me?" Atemu stared; how could he forget, "How…does it end?"

Atemu hugged Yugi. He didn't know how much the smaller inferred about everything, but he could be sure that it would happen sooner or later, "I don't know, aibou. I haven't figured it out yet."

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	9. Chapter 9

Yugi: 4 years old

"Yami?" Yugi asked clearly, twirling a fork between his fingers with a half-full bowl of spaghetti sitting in his lap. By now, with 10 months of Atemu and Yugi living together as a family, the meals, though still simple, were now quite tolerable…good, even. Yugi didn't eat excessively, but he did eat healthily, and when he was hungry, instead of just staying quite like before, he shyly asked. Atemu never turned him down…he was just too grateful for an appetite out of the smaller. "Where do babies come from?" 

Atemu, who was rapidly typing a report to his superior, his fingers flying gracefully over the keyboard, stopped abruptly and unconsciously widened his vampire eyes as his mouth dropped, "W-what?"

"Where do babies come from?" He repeated with an adult-like patience, raising his amethyst eyes from his fork and looking at the now-still vampire that was on the computer with interest.

"Umm," Atemu said, blinking and opening and closing his mouth, then turning in his swivel chair to address him properly. Yugi, though still very small, was now an appropriate weight, and had grown a couple of inches since his first doctor's visit. His violet eyes were big…just like his heart. Yugi was growing up to be so kind…so kind, in fact, that Atemu hoped that he wouldn't end up as a pushover. But that was still a while to come. "Well…" He's never had to think about an answer to this inevitable question, "They come from a mommy and a daddy." Atemu metaphorically crossed his fingers, hoping that his answer would be enough. But knowing Yugi…

…

"How?" 

"Well…through…" Atemu sent his dead brain into overdrive, "…love."

"…Oh, okay," Yugi said, becoming very silent and going back to his spaghetti, though now he pushed around more than he clumsily ate.

Atemu didn't like the sentence. It was just too unsettled. There was something uncertain hiding in the young boy's mind, but Atemu knew not to push his mind or his mouth, and just turned around and started tapping on the computer keys once more.

He typed for a full minute, before, _Yami?_ Yugi said so softly, twirling his spaghetti absentmindedly. He fell silent, though, as did the clacking on the computer. Atemu just waited. It would come if he didn't prod, and just said patiently, _I wasn't like that, was I? Was I…a mistake?_

Time stopped, and when Yugi and Atemu next knew what was happening and time resumed, pasta littered the carpet, and Yugi was enveloped in Atemu's shaking arms; unshed tears clung to the vampire's eyelashes, _Don't you…don't you ever say that…you aren't a mistake, okay? You matter, okay?_ It's been a long time since either of them mentioned the past, so long that both of them felt that it never happened.

But it did. The past shaped them, and the past, though just that, would always, unfortunately, be there.

_To who?_ Yugi asked, resting his chin on Atemu's arm and closing his eyes, as if he didn't want to see the world out there, the world that he'd already gotten too much of a good look at. Atemu really didn't know that Yugi was still thinking about what happened almost a year ago. Every single day he probably wondered, yet he was always silent about it…always smiling…

_To me, Yugi. I've always wanted a child, but I couldn't. Vampires can't have children, Yugi. I've wandered on this Earth for 3000 years, thinking that I was being punished, but, now that I have you, Yugi, I've realized that I'm being…almost rewarded. I love you, Yugi, and you aren't a mistake. You are the closest thing to a son that I'll ever have. Even if your parents didn't love you…I do. Forever._

_Kay, Yami,_ Yugi said softly, smiling just a little and blinking away the tears that had formed in his big eyes, _I love you, too._

Atemu, as he sat in silence with Yugi for a large portion of the rest of the day, his report as well as the pasta forgotten, wondered whether or not Yugi believed him and what he had said. Atemu knew that he was telling the truth, but Yugi…he just couldn't tell. The thoughts that leaked over to him were varied and jumbled. Atemu seriously wanted to know what was going on, but he just didn't have the heart to ask.

"Yami?" Yugi asked after a long time, and Atemu woke from his doze, "Was she pretty?"

Atemu's eyes dropped and softened, "Yes, Yugi, she was. She was very pretty. Her eyes looked just like honey, you know…"

"Then, why?" Yugi's question faded off as if he didn't know what the rest of the question really was.

"Because I didn't like what she did. She took everything that I knew and changed it, including me." It was true, no one liked change, and they feared it. Atemu was no different, but maybe he didn't love Nimataka as much as he thought he did.

But it didn't matter. She was gone now, and Atemu didn't need to know. It was nice to be in love.

* * *

It was a good thing that Atemu didn't have a 9 to 5 job. He took his hours when he wanted, for as long as he wanted. Just as long as he met all of his deadlines, he was safe. However, as of late, he hadn't been doing too much work. Yugi had some type of cold, but Dr. Jones said that it was just that…a cold. 

It was a good thing that vampires couldn't get sick, but they could get tired, and tired Atemu was. He felt extremely sorry for the child, as he was fidgety, shaky, fever ridden, and anything that even slightly resembled an appetite was thrown out of the window by Yugi's stomach. But Atemu couldn't sleep. He was awake when Yugi was awake, and when Yugi slept, he had to work and catch up on a report to some superior or another. He forced himself to keep his eyes open. 

"Yami," Atemu blinked blearily a couple of times, then turned his head to see a pale, tousle-haired, chapped-lipped Yugi. He had Alphonse tucked under one pajama clad arm, and in his opposite hand was a light colored fleece blanket. His violet eyes were glassy and tired.

"Aibou," Atemu said, spinning his chair slightly and putting Yugi in his lap, "What's wrong? Weren't you sleeping?"

"I don't want to. I wanna sit with you." Yugi said piteously, dropping the blanket and grabbing onto Atemu's thumb, "Please?"

Atemu smiled softly as he noticed that Yugi's breathing was less constricted than before, "Okay, but…you have to sit quietly while I work. Okay, aibou?"

"I love you, Yami," Yugi said, leaning back into Atemu and coughing slightly. His eyes closed slowly, and Atemu felt his forehead with a hand that was by now trained for this type of thing. It was still warm, but his fever was going down slowly. Atemu kissed his messy hair softly, and before he finished his document and sent it, Yugi was fast asleep.

* * *

Atemu sat up straight on his seat; he smelled something. It was so familiar, so close, yet he couldn't seem to remember what it was. He stood up stiffly and then sniffed again, realizing that it was coming from Yugi's room.

He had had a room furnished for Yugi a couple of weeks ago. He painted it, put in some new and used furniture, and now Yugi slept there. Sometimes Atemu slept there, too. Nevertheless, Atemu was completely and utterly hypnotized by this scent.

It was so…intoxicating. 

"Yugi?" Atemu said slowly, pushing open the slightly ajar door fully and stepping inside. Yugi was sitting on the off-white carpet and leaning on his bed, holding his arm tightly as tears slipped down his face, one after the other. Atemu was by his side in an instant, both his concern for the child and his awareness of this strengthened scent overwhelming. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"No, I'm fine," Yugi managed to sniff out. What was that that Atemu felt in his mind? …Was it fear? Atemu finally realized what this scent was as he looked down at Yugi's small hand clenching his arm. It was blood, which dripped down his arm, onto his clothes, and into the carpet, which was already stained with spots of the dark red life-substance.

Atemu hadn't tasted human blood in over 10 months, and how sweet it smelled. He blinked as he noticed Yugi turning away from him, and that fear grew stronger with every breath out of the smaller. Yugi was afraid of _Atemu_? "Aibou…let me see, I can help it, okay?" 

"No," Yugi said quickly, his tears falling down his face at a higher speed. Atemu couldn't believe this. Yugi though that he was going to try to feed off of him again, and his fear really wasn't too far off; Atemu could feel the demon inside of him rising, trying to shove his humanity out of the way and devour the small boy before he could even cry out. Yugi thought that Atemu was going to tell him to leave again; he thought that he was going to get hurt again.

But he promised that this wouldn't happen again! "Yugi," Atemu took a deep breath and tried to squash down the blood lust, "What happened? You don't have to show it to me…just…tell…me…what happened…" He was now breathing regularly himself, shoving air down his dead lungs, trying to calm himself down. He could hear Yugi's heart beating, and could see the blood still leaking out of his system.

Not again. 

"Something sharp at the end of my bed." That was all that Yugi said, but he still wouldn't look at Atemu; he was still too afraid. "I fell down."

Atemu tore his eyes away from the liquid with difficulty and looked at the corner of the bed, where the metal frame jutted out from underneath the mattress. He could fix that easily enough with some padding, but Yugi would need more than a little bit of foam.

He was terrified of Atemu and what he was capable and incapable of doing, yet he was in pain, and Atemu could feel it through their link and on his own arm. It was deep, and it needed to be tended to.

Yet what could he do? If he so much as touched Yugi, he didn't think that the smaller would ever trust him again, especially after he promised. If he touched Yugi when he was feeling like this, and felt his warm skin.., then he knew that it would be all over. He promised that Yugi would never feel threatened by him again, yet he was toeing the line as if he were blind, and he couldn't walk this world like that.

If he fed off of Yugi, then Yugi would die, and he couldn't do that to the smaller. He didn't want to, but at the same time...he wanted to so badly.

Atemu stood up, his guilt easily overpowering his lust, and left the room. There was nothing he could do. In this situation, he was powerless, and he knew that he would never be attracted to Yugi's life blood scent ever again. Not with this guilt that he was feeling. He couldn't even help Yugi with this problem; how could Atemu have thought that Yugi would just forget about what he did?

It was Atemu's fault that his parents found him again, and it was his fault that he had a scar on his forehead. It was his fault that he was ridden with nightmares a couple of times during the week…

Atemu threw himself down on the couch and stared at the white-tiled ceiling; that was the only thing that he could do at this point. He couldn't help Yugi, and he'd have to wait and see what would happen. Would this realization by Atemu and the feelings that Yugi was hiding for so long...would this ruin _everything_?

He dozed there for a full five minutes, his mind blank, his dead soul guilt-ridden, and then something happened that shocked him senseless. He heard uneven breathing in front of him. "Yami…"

Crimson eyes shot open and the owner of said eyes shot up to a sitting position. Yugi was there in front of him, his arm bleeding freely, his lower lip in the grasp of his jaw. For once, his eyes were completely unreadable, saturated with so many emotions and so much else, too. For a timeless second they just sat there, staring, and then with a soundless click the smaller flew into Atemu's arms and started sobbing openly. Atemu held him close and brought him up to his lap. "Yugi…please don't cry…its okay…" But was it really?

He grabbed a handful of napkins from the coffee table in front of them and gently pried Yugi away from him. It must have taken a lot for Yugi to come to Atemu in the first place, to swallow his fear and to place blind trust in the vampire, but his body wasn't agreeing with his mind when Atemu took a gentle hold on his arm and lightly brushed the blood away. He applied a little pressure to it, and Yugi stiffened as his breathing picked up.

The bleeding stopped after awhile, and Atemu threw the tainted paper aside. He knew that he was going to have to clean out the wound and properly bandage it, but not now. He enveloped Yugi into his arms, and the smaller relaxed dramatically into the embrace when Atemu laid them both down on the cushions. 

_Yami, will you fix my bed later?_ Yugi asked, snuggling into Atemu, his mind once more at ease. A certain cloudiness of Yugi's mind was gone now, and Atemu closed his eyes with the relief that for now, everything was going to be okay.

Atemu nodded and began to lightly stroke Yugi's soft hair, _Of course, we can do it together, okay?_

_Okay…I love you, Yami…_

_I love you, too, aibou._ The phrase then meant more to Atemu than anything. It was one more hurdle that the two of them leaped just then, and their shaky relationship was now protected just a little more with a layer of trust…trust and understanding.

* * *

Yugi: 5 years old

'To the Parent(s) of Yugi Atemu.'

Atemu stared at the envelope in his hands as if it were hentai; it had the seal of the town of Domino on it, and, truth be told, it looked rather ominous and unwelcoming. What could the town want with Yugi? Anything to do with custody or law would be federal…or at least county, so what could it be? 

Atemu watched Yugi sitting on the couch with Alphonse next to him. He was so cute sitting with one arm around the bear and the other holding a beginners chapter book crookedly with chubby little fingers. He was reading, apparently, to the bear, and every so often he'd stumble on a difficult word. Sometimes he was able to figure out the word for himself, and sometimes Atemu had to help him; pretty good for his first chapter story, though.

But what could the town want with him, or, rather, his supposed parents? Atemu paid his bills and taxes, and didn't belong to any clubs or the library. They really both had absolutely nothing to do with the town of Domino, other than the fact that they lived in it.

As Yugi flipped the page with just a little hassle and glanced at Alphonse before continuing, Atemu took a large breath that was only to calm him and slit open the envelope with a elongated fingernail. He did his best to swallow all doubts, and unfolded the paper fully as he scanned the first paragraph.

"…" A small smile graced Atemu's lips and he reread the letter; he'd forgotten about this. "Aibou," He said, sitting down on the couch and pulling the smaller into his lap as he gently plucked the book out of his hands and bookmarked it, that small smile still playing about his lips. Yugi sat quietly, apparently nonplussed, "Aibou, you got a letter today." 

Yugi's face instantly brightened, "Really? Can I read it, Yami?" Atemu nodded largely and handed over the letter before wrapping his arms around his little waist, "Yami, what does 'esp-es-cee-all-ie' mean?" He asked after a few seconds of reading slowly, following his fingers along the lines with a small hand.

"It's another word for 'very,'" Atemu said, smiling slightly and allowing himself to share Yugi's body heat; Yugi was always eager to share.

"Okay," Yugi said brightly, glancing at Atemu with his round amethyst eyes before turning his head back to the paper. Atemu waited while Yugi read the words to himself, once again stumbling every few lines. Atemu listened closely, and felt Yugi's heart speeding up slightly in excitement. Sure, fulfilling this 'invitation' would be a hassle, and it would probably raise some awkward and hard to answer questions, too, but Yugi was brilliant, so he deserved to learn. He was kind, and deserved to make friends..

"Yami?" Yugi asked, craning his neck to get a look at Atemu, "Do I really get to go to school?" He, of course, already knew that answer to this, and when Atemu affirmed it, his already bright smile grew, "When?" 

"3 weeks," Atemu said, accepting and returning Yugi's hug. They sat like that for a while, when Atemu frowned. He knew of their bond, yes, but when Yugi, in 3 weeks time, left for school, all alone, it could be a problem.

Even after two years, Yugi did not like to spend too much time alone. He could sleep by himself now, yes, but Atemu knew that he still had nightmares, as he comforted him when the smaller had tears. Yugi was incredibly sensitive, and even though he had every right to be, it could still be a problem when he had to go off all alone.

Atemu couldn't go see him off in front of the school yard every day, and he couldn't come and pick him up, either. He'd never get to participate in Father/Son school-sponsored activities, either.

Was this really a good idea?

It didn't matter, though, whether this was a good idea or not, because the gun was already fired. "Love you, Yami," Yugi whispered, and he fell asleep in Atemu's arms. 

There was no going back with a bullet.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	10. Chapter 10

Three weeks went by very quickly, and before Atemu knew what was coming, an alarm clock was going off in his head and he was rolling off of the couch none-too-gracefully with mental grumbling to boot. He didn't want to get up, he didn't want to wake Yugi up from a rare night of sleeping alone, and he didn't want to send his aibou off to school when the past three weeks consisted of little awkward silences.

Yugi didn't want to go to school, either, but there was nothing that either of them could do about it.

But as Atemu shuffled into Yugi's room, his aibou was awake, sitting on his bed fully dressed with his knees drawn up to his chest. "Aibou? You're awake already?" He sat down on the bed next to Yugi and the smaller immediately climbed up into his lap.

"Yami, can't I stay home? Can't you teach me?" His eyes were so big and pleading…it hurt Atemu to have to say no. 

"Don't you want to make friends, Yugi? Don't you want to…" Crimson eyes softened dramatically, "Go out and play in the sun?"

"But what if I'm all by myself?" Yugi started to play with the drawstrings on Atemu's pajama pants with a nervous air, "I'm scared."

Atemu hugged Yugi tightly, _You won't be by yourself, okay? You can bring Alphonse with you, too._

There was a slight pause, in which Yugi seemed to be thinking about something, _Okay…but, you'll be here when I come home, right?_

"Of course, aibou," Atemu said with a slightly hurt pang in his tone, pulling away and looking Yugi in the eye. His aibou had come so far in the past couple of years, but his scarring went far deeper than his skin, "I promise. I'll always be here, okay Yugi?"

"I know, but…" Atemu hugged him again and kissed his forehead; there was a very large chance that this was all a big mistake, that Yugi going to school would ruin the fragile life that they managed to build up, but Yugi had to get out and see the world. He had to get out and experience it, because Atemu couldn't let him be confined to the dark like him.

"You'll be fine, aibou, okay? And I'll be here when you get home. If you need me, then just call." He tapped Yugi's head playfully and the air turned comfortable when Yugi smiled a little and relaxed, then started to hum contentedly in Atemu's arms a minute later.

They sat there until Yugi got hungry, and after a quick bowl of Cheerios, the smaller began to show signs of nervousness again; his eyes were jumpy and his mind was erratic, but he smiled anyway when Atemu helped him put on his backpack and held his hand to lead him downstairs.

When the vampire heard sounds of a bus coming down the road, he knelt down and gave Yugi a tight hug and an encouraging kiss on the forehead, right over his scar. Even if it was hidden by his hair, Atemu would always know where it was, "I'll watch you get on the bus, okay?" 

"'Kay, Yami," Yugi said, returning the hug and lightly fisting his hands in Atemu's cotton shirt, "I love you." 

"I love you, too, aibou…be brave, okay?" Atemu didn't need to remind him, though. Yugi was always brave, and even if there was a problem at school, he had a feeling that Yugi would stick it out anyway.

Yugi was always brave.

And as Yugi walked towards the bus in his blue and white school uniform, his backpack eating up a large portion of his small frame, Atemu realized something: he wanted school to be over.

* * *

The day passed quickly for Atemu; when Yugi wasn't around things went at an unnatural pace, always. He checked on Yugi's mind a couple of times, just to make sure that he was alright, but they never spoke. If Yugi felt that he could do this alone, then Atemu would let him.

When afternoon came, the vampire stood in the shadows near the overhang and waited until the school bus trudged along the pavement. Yugi hopped off of the stairs of the automobile, and Atemu was pleased to see a smile plastered onto his face.

"Aibou," Atemu said brightly, bending down to gladly accept Yugi's hug, "How was your first day at school?"

"Yami, it was so much fun!" Atemu grabbed the smaller's hand and they walked back inside, Yugi rambling on about various things that had happened during the day. Atemu was so relieved to see Yugi looking so happy, yet he couldn't help but notice that something wasn't right. He tried to ignore it, he really did, but as Yugi handed Atemu a folder of papers and they sat down on the couch, Atemu felt that had to ask.

"Did you meet any friends, Yugi?" Atemu asked slowly, watching carefully as Yugi silently began to play with his banana slices. He didn't answer.

Atemu decided to drop it; things worked best with Yugi if Atemu didn't prod. So instead he began to sift through the sheaf of papers from Yugi's school: medical documents, information, registration forms. There flyer about Parent-Teacher conferences…he could never do that…Open House, maybe, but-- 

"Yami, what's a 'smart-ass?'"

Atemu's eyes snapped over to Yugi; wasn't he in Kindergarten? Weren't all of these kids five years old? And what could Yugi have ever done to be called a smart-ass? "Who called you a smart-ass?"

"One of the kids at school." Yugi said, still picking at the banana, "They were making fun of me."

Atemu sighed. While he didn't think that it would be this bad, he had a feeling that something like this would happen to Yugi. He was just too…submissive…small. The vampire gently plucked the plastic bowl out of Yugi's hands, then moved closer to him and put an arm around the smaller's shoulders, "Why were they making fun of you?" 

"…because I can read."

Atemu resisted the urge to scoff, then beat down his mind and said slowly and tenderly, "Yugi, they're only making fun of you because they can't read. Don't let what they say get to you." But Yugi didn't make any notion to even show that he was listening; his mind was clouded again, and Atemu realized that Yugi was hiding something from him, "Why didn't you ask me while you were at school?" 

_Because…I didn't want you to feel bad._ Yugi offered softly, snuggling into Atemu, and Atemu realized that Yugi picked up on something that Atemu hadn't even thought about. Even if Yugi had sent for Atemu's mind, he couldn't have gone out and done anything about it. He was useless while the sun was out. Yugi realized it…yet Atemu didn't.

They sat in that heavy silence for a good couple of minutes, in which Yugi started to play with and eat his banana once more. "Yami," He said slowly, swallowing a bit of the fruit, "Can I still go back to school tomorrow?" 

The ex-Pharaoh couldn't help but stare, "What? You still want to go back?" This was actually something of a relief; he wasn't sure how he would try to get Yugi to go back to the damned place if he didn't want to.

Yugi nodded, "The teacher's really nice to me. She gave me another book, too. So can I?" He looked at Atemu, biting the bottom of his lip worriedly. School must've really been a good thing for Yugi, after all. He was conquering his fears.

Atemu smiled softly at what most assumed to be his son and hugged him tightly, "I'm so proud of you, Yugi. I love you, aibou."

* * *

A couple of days went by. After a call to the school, the smart-ass comments had apparently stopped, and Yugi's teacher was just so happy to have such a kind and sweet boy as her student. Atemu could only agree, especially after Yugi came home from school with a big smile on his face from the various activities that he learned how to do that day. They both knew that Yugi hadn't as of yet made any friends, but it didn't seem to be bothering Yugi, so Atemu did his best to not let it bother him, either.

Atemu watched Yugi sleeping soundly in his bed on a Saturday night. His tiny fist was curled around one of Alphonse's ears, and his other one was open, his palm pointing towards the ceiling. The vampire sighed in relief. Yugi didn't wake up while he was gone, but he'd still have to wait until his aibou woke up to give him his present.

It was kind of odd, actually, that Atemu went out that night. It was almost on a whim, but he just wanted to do something nice for the smaller. Yugi was just so responsible and sweet; he needed a boost every once in a while…he needed a friend.

Around 8:30 the next morning, though, Atemu became impatient and sat on the smaller's bed, then shook Yugi a little as he slept. "'Ami?" Yugi asked, opening his amethyst eyes blearily for a minute before closing them again, "Yami, I'm still tired…"

"I know, I know, aibou," Yami cooed softly, "But I want to show you something." Yugi opened his eyes again and looked at Atemu briefly before Atemu picked him up and brought him into the living room. "Close your eyes, Yugi. It's a surprise." 

Yugi happily listened to Atemu and snuggled against the cold vampire as he closed his eyes. Atemu smiled down at the little bundle, who would probably fall asleep again if he kept him like that for too long. He sat down on the couch, where a wire box-like object sat in front of them on the coffee table, "Okay, aibou, you can open your eyes now."

Yugi's lids opened, and he caught sight of the cage, along with a furry tanned rodent inside, scrambling along happily. "A hamster!" He looked up at the vampire excitedly, his eyes not looking so tired anymore, "Yami, can we keep it?"

Atemu nodded and opened the cage with one hand. He gently took the hamster out and placed it in Yugi's outstretched hands, "Of course, I bought it for you, aibou, for being so brave and going to school. What are you going to name him?" 

Atemu watched his aibou as he stroked the hamster's soft fur with a finger and smiled; the vampire was so happy that he could make Yugi feel this way, because he'd never forget how broken his aibou looked when he found him in the park.

Never.

* * *

Yugi: Age 8

"Yugi…come here, aibou, I need to talk to you." Atemu said slowly and painfully, bringing Yugi into his lap barely after the amethyst-eyed boy shrugged off his backpack. He had grown a little in five-years, but he was still small. Yugi only stared at him, a look of confusion and apprehension on his face.

"What's wrong, Yami? What happened?" His tone was almost urgent, and Atemu could feel the buzzing inside of his mind.

He took another one of those unneeded breaths, "…Aibou, you're hamster died today." 

Yugi's jaw dropped a little, and tears immediately started to form in his eyes. Atemu could feel his subtle shaking; Yugi loved that hamster. He took care of it very well, fed it, and held it; he'd sit there for hours with the small rodent in his lap. He remembered once when the hamster bit Alphonse on the ear and wouldn't let go, but it didn't help to bring a smile to his face.

He'd even read to it sometimes, and it hurt Atemu more than words could explain to have to be the one to break this news to him. "…why?" 

"Your hamster was very old, aibou. Hamsters don't live very long, and yours lived to be a very old hamster because you took such good care of it."

Yugi didn't seem to be listening, though, and Atemu enveloped Yugi in his arms and let the smaller cry softly into his shirt. Atemu sniffed as he realized that this was going to happen to Yugi too, one day, too.

One day Yugi was going to die; he could die tomorrow for all Atemu knew, or he could die an old man, his life lived.

Either way, wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Atemu had to go through life all alone; it wasn't fair that he finally found someone that loved him, and it wasn't fair that he finally loved someone after all this time.

Everyone other than him was normal.

Atemu didn't want to watch Yugi get hurt, and he didn't want to listen to him crying softly into his chest. If the time came for Yugi to die peacefully, lying in bed and struggling to get the breath out, would Atemu be able to deal with that?

If Yugi died, then Atemu wouldn't even feel anymore. He wouldn't live, and would just exist. He couldn't go back to that, not after all of this. Not again.

"Yami, where do hamsters go after they die?" Yugi asked with a strained tone, looking up with a tear still clinging to his cheek; Atemu could smell the salt. 

He wiped the water away with his pale-tanned thumb and ran his fingers through Yugi's messy hair, "…I don't know, Yugi, but I bet that its somewhere nice, with a big wheel that he can run on…and he'll never get tired." Atemu knew that what he was saying wasn't true; he truly felt in his heart that when a soul died…it just died. It didn't go anywhere.

When Yugi died one day, he wouldn't go anywhere. He'd just disappear.

Yet Atemu didn't know, and he'd never get a chance to, either. Atemu couldn't die…he wouldn't die. He was afraid to. He was afraid to go out in the sun, which was his only mortality, but as long as he could run away from it, then he would.

The vampire brought Yugi into his arms again and hugged him tightly, as if he wouldn't let anything, not even the pull of black-death, take his Yugi away from him. He felt Yugi's lively pulse, and his warm skin...his salty tears...

Because he was weak, just like everyone else, and his weakness, in a cruel ironic way, was actually his greatest strength. The never-ending will to stay alive.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	11. Chapter 11

Yugi: Age 13

Atemu sighed heavily as he watched Yugi in his room, silently cleaning up a deep scrape on his arm with a bottle of peroxide. He flinched when the liquid hit his skin, yet Atemu could only watch.

Yugi was a teenager now. As far as Atemu knew they were still awaiting the whole puberty thing, which neither would welcome openly, but Yugi was still attractive as far as Atemu was concerned. He was short, yes, but he still had those kind eyes and a very gentle smile. It was a nice smile; a smile that Atemu knew girls would be attracted to.

But Atemu didn't know if Yugi had a girlfriend, and that was for a couple of reasons. He never asked, for one. He knew that Yugi didn't have too many friends, if any at all, so he didn't want to open up any metaphorical wounds. And he couldn't look into the smaller's mind for a stroke of love or happiness or contentedness, either. Yugi, somehow, had learned how to close off his side of his mind.

Atemu was not worried…too much. Teenagers often did things to rebel towards their parents; to this day Atemu could remember running off into the city even when his Father denied him permission, just for that reason.

But still, what with these injuries and Yugi's sudden reluctance to talk to Atemu about school and other things, he couldn't help but wonder. Yugi smiles weren't what they used to be; they looked almost lonely, now, like he was only smiling because he wanted Atemu to smile and not worry about him. It was a noble sentiment, yes, but it wasn't what Yugi was aiming for.

Atemu took another one of those unneeded breaths before wiggling his toes inside of white socks slightly and walking into the room. "Hi, aibou…how was school today?"

Yugi jumped a little at Atemu's would-be-light-and-casual voice and quickly pulled the sleeve of his school issued jacket down over his open wound. He shrugged then, and put a half-hearted smile onto his face, "It…it was alright."

"Really?" Atemu said, smiling sadly as Yugi shoved the peroxide behind him with a nonchalant air. He hated it when his aibou lied to him; it made him feel like he failed in trying to raise him. "Yugi…what are you doing with the disinfectant?"

Yugi blinked, and Atemu could almost see the wheels turning in his mind, "I tripped on my way home. It's no big deal."

The vampire was only slightly impressed. The fib was plausible, yes, though very clichéd, and he even made the needed eye contact to bring the deal home. It was too bad that Atemu heard his heart speed up inside of his chest. "Why did you cover up the scrape on your arm, then?"

"Oh…umm…" Yugi sighed and looked around the room; anywhere but the demon that was interrogating him. Atemu sighed, he did feel bad for doing this to Yugi, but he could really get hurt if they didn't stop whatever was happening.

Yugi wasn't a liar; he wasn't built like that, and Atemu was suddenly proud when Yugi stilled and looked at his feet. He didn't raise a liar.

The vampire crossed his arms. "Yugi, are you being beat on by your classmates?" He asked the question patiently, watching Yugi's every move and reaction. But the smaller did nothing; he only continued to stare at his black shoes, and then Atemu began to lose patience for the first time with Yugi, "Yugi, answer me. Are people from your school giving you these injuries?"

He still would not answer, and Atemu was suddenly attacked with an onslaught of confused, hurt, and lost feelings. Yugi had opened up his side of the link. Crimson eyes closed and tried to clear the mind that they belonged to; Atemu had no idea. He had no clue that Yugi was feeling like this: he could feel bad memories, far away hopes, and above it all, Yugi's small and slightly scared answer to the vampire's question, _Yes._

Atemu opened his eyes again, and saw Yugi fighting back tears in his violet irises. "Don't cry, aibou," He said, sitting down gently beside Yugi and placing a kind hand on his shoulder, "Let me see, I can help." Yugi sniffed wordlessly and slipped the jacket off of his shoulders before letting it drop carelessly to the ground. 

"Aibou…why didn't you tell me?" He couldn't take his attention off of Yugi's pale arm. Along with the nasty scrape were purple and green bruises in the pattern of fingertips. His face distorted as he picked up new and old scars. Some he recognized…most he didn't.

He heard the smaller take a deep calming breath, "Because…Yami, I don't know."

The vampire could practically hear Yugi's thoughts buzzing in his mind like a rather large beehive; he really wasn't sure of himself with this one, but he seemed to think that keeping his secrets hidden was the right decision. "You know that I only try to help; you know that I could never be ashamed of you, Yugi."

The simple sentence seemed to force something to click in the pale boy's mind. "That's part of it, I guess, but…Yami, wh-what…" He couldn't seem to finish the sentence, and he turned his head away from Atemu again, looking at nothing, _What did you do to my parents?_

Atemu finally understood what Yugi was thinking, and his deep crimson eyes widened dramatically. Yugi was, after all this time still thinking about that? "Yugi, you don't think that I would…Yugi, I had to do it. I had to…to kill them." He stopped, but Yugi didn't really give much of a reaction; he was a brilliant person, even as a child, and he must've known for years what Atemu had did. Yet he said nothing. "They just watched, Yugi, while you sat so weak and broken. They talked as if you weren't capable of feeling anything, let alone pain. I just…I couldn't walk away, I couldn't do nothing."

"I…I know," Yugi said, turning his head just a little in the vampire's direction, "And I…that's not what I meant. It's just…you worked so hard to put this life together for us, and I know that…I love living with you, and…" He exhaled, trying to form the words in his fuzzy mind, "I love how you'll always be there to protect me. But…it's only a few bruises, and I don't want to risk losing this life just for that."

Yugi's stop was very abrupt, and Atemu could see by the look in his eyes that there was more that he didn't want to say, "What else?" He was so proud of Yugi for being so selfless in the face of such mental strain; it touched him, but they still needed this talk. They needed to somehow find a way to stop it, to make Yugi feel better.

But Yugi wasn't feeling better, and Atemu was convinced of this when tears started to finally fall down smooth pale cheeks; his breathing became irregular along with his slow speech patterns, "It's just--when they hit me, I--I can still remember, Yami, what it--" He stopped momentarily, and threw his arms around Atemu's neck. His sobs were loud and pain-wracked, "What it felt like…when--" 

"Aibou," Atemu whispered softly, tears forming in his own eyes as he lowered himself and his aibou onto the bed, stroking his hair while Yugi continued to sob into his shoulder. It was clear that he was trying to calm down, but Yugi's walls had broken in more ways than one.

Atemu had no clue that Yugi was feeling this way, nad that after all of these years, the pain was still there. How could he _still_ remember, even though this was years and years ago?

"Yami, does…does the fact that the woman you loved turned you still hurt?" Yugi asked after a minutes of broken silence, the pain still evident in his teary eyes, "Do you still hurt after all this time?"

"Sometimes," Atemu mused, still holding Yugi close to him and listening to his heart beating a little more calmly in his chest, "But…not all of the time. I don't think that it ever fully goes away, but you make me feel better, Yugi, you know that? You make the pain almost disappear."

"Me too, Yami," Yugi said, slowly disentangling himself from his guardian and sitting up, taking deep breaths, "But please don't call the school or-or go after these guys yourself. You're always protecting me, and I really do appreciate that, but will you let me sort it out? It doesn't last forever; they get bored after awhile."

Atemu blinked a couple of times, trying to think it over. He knew that it would be dangerous to leave Yugi alone with these people, and to not even try to stop them, but the look in Yugi's eyes forced all of Atemu's resolve to melt away.

"Okay, " He paused, "Okay Yugi, but next time this happens, you have to tell me, okay? And if it gets too bad, then I'm going to have to at least call the school." He stopped, looking at Yugi's scrape, which was now bleeding a little, "For now, though, will you let me help you clean out your cuts? They're pretty nasty."

Yugi nodded, "Okay, Yami…thank you." He leaned over and they embraced tightly for a long minute, remembering what it was like only months ago when Yugi's mind was open and they shared absolutely everything.

Atemu knew right on the surface that this decision of his wasn't a good one; it was true that the vampire trusted Yugi a lot. If he had a real life anymore then he would have trusted Yugi with it in an instant. This was just so much more than a bullying problem, though, and Atemu knew it for a fact when he found other more serious injuries on Yugi's back and stomach.

But he couldn't go back; he wouldn't break Yugi's trust in him again. He worked too hard after the first time. He wouldn't hurt Yugi again.

* * *

It was getting late. No, it wasn't late as in the sun was down late, but late because Yugi was far too overdue in getting home from his day at school. It had been a couple of weeks since their discussion about…well, about a lot of things…yet it was still fresh in Atemu's mind.

And that was why he was worried. He was worried that he had made a bad decision in his aibou's life as a parental figure, and now Yugi was paying for it. Who knew? Maybe it was actually no big deal. Maybe Yugi was just after school for some project, or maybe he had just decided to take a long walk to stretch his legs and get out into the sun for once.

He needed that every once in a while.

But he didn't call, and Yugi always called.

Atemu sat outside underneath the shade of the overhang, watching the reflection of the sun but not going out to feel its rays on his skin. Sometimes he missed it, and wondered if there was a way that he could go back to being human, to feeling the sun, and to having the satisfaction of knowing that some day he was going to die, just like everyone else. But there wasn't. He knew that, and it was okay most of the time.

The sun was sinking below the trees when closed crimson eyes suddenly shot open. Atemu had fallen asleep, and judging by the fact that he was still outside and alone, Yugi hadn't come home yet. And Atemu was starting to panic for real now.

Something had happened to Yugi, he was sure of it. Yugi was lying hurt somewhere in some alley, perhaps robbed, and maybe--

--Maybe he was even dead.

But Atemu wasn't expecting that for Yugi, not yet. There was still so much that Yugi had to experience, so much that he had to do with his life. He had to meet a nice girl, or maybe a nice guy, and he had to fall in love. He had to have a family and experience life to the fullest. He just had to. After everything that Yugi went through to keep his life, he had to live it to the fullest.

Atemu sighed; he could still only watch while the sun was out. He could only watch and think and listen, but not act.

The last glow of the sun disappeared underneath the horizon and stars began to shine holes through the twilight, and it was right before Atemu was about to go out and call for Yugi until he couldn't anymore. The phone rang inside of the house.

The vampire paused, thinking as his gaze went from the door in front of him to the street behind his back. He didn't want to answer it, but what if it was Yugi? What if Yugi called to apologize and that he just got caught up somewhere, doing something important? Yugi would get worried if Atemu wasn't there, because he would feel like he was abandoned all over again.

He didn't want to do that to the boy.

The vampire dashed up the stairs with a super-human speed and picked up the phone. "Hello?" His voice was feverish, and any other time he would have cared about how weak he sounded, but not now. Not with this breathing of a professional stature leaking through the other end of the phone… 

"Mr. Atemu?" The voice sounded almost all business, but with sympathy, like he really didn't have much to spare. 

"Yes. That's me. Can I…" He stopped, and he suddenly realized what all of this meant. What this professional stranger on the other side of the phone wanted. His voice from then on was quiet, not confident at all. "Can I help you?" 

"I'm sorry, but…" Atemu's heart would have stopped if it wasn't already dead, yet he could still feel cold tears welling up in his eyes. He had failed; he had let Yugi have a responsibility that he shouldn't have had, and it was his fault. It was his fault that this had happened to the only person that he had in this world.

What was he going to do?

"Your son Yugi was found about 10 minutes ago near a bus stop…you should come down to Domino Hospital as soon as possible."

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thank you to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	12. Chapter 12

Cold, almost-pale hands wrapped softly, almost cautiously, around a smooth white one, and slender fingers every now and then squeezed the limp one reassuringly. The only breathing in the room was slow and languid, and the vampire made sure that it stayed that way. Atemu had arrived at the hospital about 30 minutes previously, yet Yugi still lay on that hospital bed, not making a single sound or movement.

"Mr.Atemu?" 

The vampire's red eyes shot up from the pale hand of his aibou's to look at a middle aged doctor complete with white robe and clipboard, "Yes…that's me. What happened to Yugi?"

He did not want to look at the doctor, so his gaze shifted back to the smaller, whose face was even paler than usual, and tainted with a head injury that ran down the length of his face. Stitches were laced neatly inbetween the crimson valley, holding the two pieces of skin together.

One of his hands was also bound with an impossible amount of gauze. Atemu didn't want to know what lay underneath that cotton wrap, and couldn't even bear to gaze at the fingers protruding limply from the mass.

"He was found by a bus stop, but blood smears on the sidewalk show that he could have been dragged there…the scrapes on his arms further prove that." The doctor was by now at Atemu's side, looking at the apparent father and son's hands intertwined.

With that much obvious concern, the doctor did not care for a minute about Atemu's peculiar eye-color or teeth. It really didn't matter. "A short knife…a dagger, if you will, was embedded in his palm. It actually went all the way through, but he should get full use of it back by the time it heals." 

"Who…do you know who did this to him?" Atemu was rather ashamed of how misplaced and lost his voice sounded, but at the thought of Yugi lying all alone on an abandoned sidewalk, a knife sticking through his hand, he couldn't help it.

Atemu bit the inside of his cheek lightly, and blood leaked onto his tongue. He didn't care, though, it would heal soon enough. But what about Yugi? How long would it take for him to heal? And why did the vampire's temperature seem to drop another impossible 10 degrees?

"I…I don't know." The doctor replied with a certain amount of regret in his voice, "You'll have to talk to the police about that…they were notified shortly before you were, and an officer should be here soon."

"Okay…" Atemu said in that same voice, "Is…is there anything else that I should know?" 

"He might have a slight concussion," The doctor replied, "But we can't be sure until he wakes up, so as soon as he does, you need to call a nurse. The alert is right next to the bed." The man pointed, and Atemu nodded, not even looking at it. The doctor looked like he was at a loss, "So…I'll leave you two alone now…good luck, Mr.Atemu."

He left almost silently, but Atemu could barely even hear the door slide shut behind him. He was feeling so many things at the moment, and the fact that he could feel nothing except for pain and regret in Yugi's mind was doing nothing to comfort him.

The vampire felt overwhelming guilt. This was all his fault. He knew that this was going to happen; deep down inside he knew that Yugi was going to be sent to the hospital if he didn't do anything to stop the bullies at school, but Yugi's trust mattered that much to him. Atemu was being so selfish and egotistical; he put his reputation over his own son's safety. And he knew that he had nothing to punish himself with. The only thing that mattered was Yugi, but he would never do anything to hurt the smaller.

Even though he already had.

He was also angry…so angry. Why would someone do that to Yugi? Why would someone decide to physically or mentally harm someone just because they were small? Or because they didn't like to hurt others? Was Yugi picked on because they knew that he would do what he thought was right and not tell?

Was he picked on the because he was the only human in his school that actually showed a side of humanity? What did Yugi ever do to ever deserve what's happened to him? His parents, his peers, and even Atemu had made so many wrong decisions about him…for him. What had he ever done to deserve that?

A knock was heard at the door, but Atemu didn't get up to answer it; he didn't even make a noise to acknowledge that it was there. If they really wanted to come in, then they could do it of their own accord. And they did.

"Mr.Atemu?"

The vampire really was getting tired of confirming who he was. Yugi had no one else. Who else was it going to be? He was sick and tired of the way that this world worked. It wasn't fair that Yugi had one person and one person only to care about him, because--

--Even Yugi didn't care about himself. Everyone else came first. And then Atemu, the one person that cared without needing to be paid screwed up horribly and pretty much put Yugi in this bed himself. Who knew what would come next?

"Mr.Atemu, my name is Officer Shiniiu…I was assigned to your son's case. Could you answer a couple of questions?"

Atemu turned slowly, never letting go of Yugi's hand, to the police officer. And all that the mortal could do was stare. Normally, Atemu knew by now to just give people that he met a moment to stare and get used to him, but the vampire's patience was running extremely dry, "Yes, yes. Now, if you'd stop staring at me, you have some questions?"

The officer flinched, and Atemu felt more guilt leak into his head. He didn't notice another thing waking up inside of him, "I'm sorry," He said, "I'm just really worried. I've never seen him like this before." He took his eyes off of the official and turned back to Yugi, twirling his blond bangs between his slender fingers with a heavy dead heart, wondering what this feeling deep inside actually was.

Shiniiu recovered and pulled up a chair to sit by the distressed vampire, "I know this is hard for you, but if you don't cooperate then we'll never find out who did this to your son." 

Atemu nodded.

"I've already spoken to the doctor, and after a search of his clothes we found that he had money on him, which lets us conclude that he was not robbed. Does your son have any problems at school?"

Another nod. "Bullies, but…I never thought that it would get this far." Atemu knew that it would be dangerous to continue, but the words kept slipping out of his mouth before he could do anything about it, "I thought that he could handle it, and he asked me if I could just leave it alone. I let him, and I told him that I'd keep quiet, but I knew that this would happen. I just wanted him to trust me; I just wanted to be able to trust him."

Atemu did his best not to cry; instead tears built up in his glassy red eyes and he sniffed, willing them away. The officer looked very sympathetic, if not a little perturbed, "Well, there is no doubt that your decision was reckless, but you had good intentions, and…well, Mr.Atemu, everyone makes mistakes." There was a rather awkward silence. 

Atemu sniffed, finally realizing what that feeling building up inside of him was when he felt his hand being squeezed lightly back, "Yugi…" Amethyst eyes opened slowly, "Yugi…you're alright…oh Ra, Yugi…"

_Yami?_ Yugi asked in his mind, followed by an intense mental and physical wince, _Yami, my head hurts…_

Atemu closed his eyes, relieved beyond all belief that his aibou was alright. Beside him, he saw the officer pressing the button that the doctor pointed out to him, and Yugi began to sit up very slowly, aided by the vampire's restrained strength. "Not too fast Yugi," He said softly, still running his hands through Yugi's hair, "It's okay, Yugi…you'll be okay now…"

The officer left, saying that he'd either come back later or contact them in a few days. Atemu didn't care though; he was just glad that Yugi was looking at him, and that his heart was still going strong.

Before long, the silence was broken, and when the doctor came in and told Atemu to step aside for a minute to check Yugi's blood pressure, pupils, and speech, he was only to happy to do so.

* * *

"Okay…okay, thank you. That means a lot. Yes, bye."

Atemu hung up the phone in the Game Shop. A small smile graced his features, but he knew that he really should have been showing more. He had come home with Yugi that morning, the smaller holding a clean bill of health other than the fact that he couldn't use his hand and stitches were still holding together his head wound.

Yugi had supposedly been sleeping ever since they got home, but Atemu knew that he was wide awake, thinking. His mind was a constant buzz. The smaller wasn't used to getting so much attention from so many different people, and after a while of being poked and prodded, not to mention Officer Shiniiu coming back to ask Yugi 'a few' questions, he knew that his charge just wanted to be alone.

The vampire knocked on Yugi's door, then entered when Yugi didn't answer. Indeed, he was not sleeping; rather, he was sitting on the carpet and leaning against his mattress, staring at his mangled and bandaged palm. "Aibou? Are you hungry?"

Yugi shook his head, not looking at Atemu, "No, I'm not hungry. I feel a little sick."

The vampire creased his eyebrows, then sat down next to the smaller as he wrapped his arm protectively around the other's shoulders, "Officer Shiniiu just called; the people that were bothering you in school were taken into custody today, so you can go back to school tomorrow if you want."

There was no physical reaction from Yugi, and Atemu was almost afraid to look into his mind. He wasn't sure what he was going to feel there. In the silence, Atemu found himself able to think for the first time in a while. There was an idea going through the vampire's mind, but it was absurd, morally wrong, and selfish.

Giving Yugi more responsibility than he could handle; that could be fixed. It was fixed, and as horrible as Yugi's injuries were, they all knew that he got off relatively unharmed. It could have been worse…he could have died.

But if Atemu did what he was thinking, then there was no going back. And if Yugi found himself disliking the choice that he made, then he could never go back, either. This mistake would be an unforgivable sin; Atemu would never be forgiven by fate nor by Yugi, even if the smaller didn't directly blame Atemu.

Still, he had to ask.

"Yugi, do you…remember when you were very small, and…you asked if you could be a vampire?" All motion in the room stopped, but it was too late to take anything back, " I…I told you that you weren't old enough, but now I think that you are. If you wanted." 

He faded off, not really sure if the way that he put that was acceptable. Yugi might have been old enough; chances were, he was always going to be small, and was probably happy with the way that he looked.

Yet he wasn't mature enough, that was clear. Yugi was still a child, no matter how responsible he was.

They had both just come off of a bad decision, and Yugi was most likely feeling indecisive. Plus, Atemu had never actually converted anyone before, even if he knew how it was done. What if Yugi wanted to stop part way through? Could they? Would he survive that? And, if it did work, what if it caused the teenager to go insane? Would that be better than death?

But for once, Yugi's mind seemed set, even though it didn't really feel like the choice that he wanted. "Yami, I can't. I want to, don't get me wrong, but I don't feel like I'm ready yet. And…"

He paused, nuzzling into Atemu even though the vampire could feel how much he just wanted to crawl away, "I don't understand yet. I don't understand what it would be like to live forever. You…you're over 3000 years old, but I can't grasp that. I can't really see you walking through a palace or watching the pyramids being built I…I don't think that I ever will."

Atemu sighed; for some reason he felt so disappointed and hurt. It was like Yugi's choice was his death sentence, as it was hard for even Atemu to understand that he'd been around for almost everything. It was difficult to acknowledge that he was around for almost every little bit of technology, and if he couldn't understand it, then Yugi never would, would he?

And it seemed like Yugi didn't even understand a large part of why Atemu asked Yugi that question in the first place, or why he wanted him to say yes. Yugi had always said when he was little, and even when he was older, that he wanted to stay with Atemu forever. But just like he said, he didn't understand what forever was. Maybe a single lifetime was all that he could grasp, and all that he wanted.

But Atemu didn't have the heart to ask.

Yet at the same time he was proud of Yugi, and he sent those feelings and those feelings alone towards the other's mind. Yugi finally relaxed after soaking in these feelings for a moment, happy that his decision was accepted. Atemu wrapped his other arm around him, and they sat like that for a long time. It was like when Yugi was little, and Atemu would hold him went he got a bruise, or like when he got hurt and they finally learned to trust each other.

And even though tears were falling down Atemu's face because he once again realized his time with Yugi was just a chapter --a mere page-- of his time on this earth, he felt content.

Yugi had made the right decision after all.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-12-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	13. Chapter 13

Yugi: Age 16

Yugi walked slowly and carefully down the stairs of the Game Shop that morning. It was still dark outside, yet the sun was just beginning to show over the horizon of the city; in fact, this student should really have just been waking up, but he wanted to leave early. He didn't see Yami. 

He was afraid.

Yami hadn't done anything to hurt him, not a thing, but…the nightmares. They felt so real, and they were changing how Yugi acted while he was awake.

Yugi had nightmares now; every so often, he would have a vision while he was sleeping. It was always dark, and he could never see. But every time he was in pain. He didn't know why, but he was bleeding, and in misery, and it was all right from the start. He didn't feel the wounds being inflicted, he didn't even know _how_ they were branded in his soft skin, but they were always there.

And Yugi couldn't help but feel that for some reason, a _vampire_ was doing this to him. A vampire like Yami…

Yugi shook his head slightly as he walked down the street to school, the cool spring air breaking through the thin fabric of his jacket and chilling his skin; he knew that Yami would never, even unintentionally, do something like that to him, but _why_? Why was he feeling this way?

At this point, after a month of having these dreams about once a week, Yugi wasn't even sure anymore; he wasn't sure _why_ he was afraid and ashamed to see his surrogate parent. Maybe it was because he dared to even _think_ that Yami would do something like that to him, and maybe he was ashamed of himself because even though Yami had cared for him even though he had no reason to, and even though the vampire had saved his life on more than one occasion--

--Yugi still had the thought deep in the back of his mind, that Yami would one day hurt him.

Even though Yami didn't necessarily _want_ to be, he was still a demon; he was still capable of killing with just a single swift movement, and what if one day he _slipped_ and did something that he didn't mean to?

Yugi shook his head again and tried to ignore the prickling feeling in the back of his eyes. He shouldn't have been thinking like that; Yami was the strongest person, dead or alive, that he knew. He used that self-control every day, and had been using it for years. Yami raised Yugi as if it was his responsibility right from the beginning, even though it was never had a reason.

So why was he thinking like this?

Yugi couldn't help it…he wiped away a tear.

* * *

_"Are you feeling alright?" _

"Yes…I'm fine."

"…Are you hungry?" 

"No…I'm just going to go to bed."

Atemu watched Yugi's retreating back down the street for a long time: the smaller's steps were slow and distracted, but the vampire wouldn't know, couldn't know, what was going on as Yugi had closed off their mind link again.

He sighed; as of late Yugi had been very distant, had been leaving for school early, coming home late, and the few conversations that they shared were awkward and forced. Something had changed…something _big_.

The vampire didn't like it, even though he knew full well that teenagers were prone to do things like that. After all, Yugi was 16 now. But Atemu just had this feeling that this was…something more.

Yugi's eyes always looked distracted now; the sparkle in his beautiful violet irises was mysteriously dulled and hidden behind a glaze of something that was bothering him. While he slept, Yugi's features were not calm, either. Sometimes they were clenched in pain, and sometimes his breathing and heart rate weren't right.

But Atemu wouldn't look into his dreams, even if he could. He did not want to make a mistake and break his privacy, even if it would be the best for Yugi.

Atemu sighed and blinked slowly.

Even after 3 more years of them living together as a family, and even after the incident that sent Yugi to the hospital and gave him two more scars, the smaller's trust just always seemed to come first.

It was Atemu's weakness, wasn't it.

Yugi needed someone in his life that he could trust; he had no friends, and even though that didn't seem to bother him on the outside, seeing his peers making plans with each other, yet always leaving him out had to hurt. Having no one, no one at all must have made the smaller feel so lonely.

But Yugi needed a parent, too, didn't he? Someone that did what was best, even if it wasn't what he wanted. Yugi never had _real_ parents, he had blood relations, if that. Parents didn't beat their children for being afraid, they didn't leave them alone in a park…ever.

Atemu sighed. It was impossible to be both a parent _and_ a friend. Yet right now, the vampire was failing at both, wasn't he? Yugi was bothered by and afraid of something, but the vampire couldn't get the answer out of him. He was neither the person that he could confide in, nor the person that could heal any wound.

So what was he?

* * *

_Cold blood…warm blood…pain… _

…Pain…humidity…darkness…

…It…hurt…hurt…hurt… 

Yugi opened his eyes to find out that he was crying. His sobs were not loud or hysterical, yet at the same time he not know _why_ he was even crying. He wasn't hurting anymore; the nightmare was over, and he wasn't trying to figure out if the blood was really covering his flesh anymore

What was going on?

He really was afraid of Yami, wasn't he? No matter what he told himself, and no matter what Yami did to help him, in his dreams Yami was really hurting Yugi. In his subconscious, Yugi was more afraid of Yami than anyone else.

Yami was the one that killed his parents, and even though Yugi had known that since before Yami even told him, he still did it.

"No…" Yugi whispered after a small sniff; No, Yami did that because he didn't want Yugi to be hurt; he did that out of love and love alone. Not blood lust, not a thirst for the kill, and not for the sight of people screaming for mercy.

Catching a tear sliding down his pale cheek in his mouth, Yugi sadly turned over on his bed and buried his face in his pillow.

He just wanted to know why.

* * *

"Aibou."

Atemu had just caught Yugi walking through the door. At the sound of his nickname, the student jumped, then smiled sheepishly at the vampire from his position at the door. His eyes wouldn't meet the vampire's, "Oh…" He ran a distracted hand through his hair, and Atemu frowned at this behavior, "Hi Yami…you scared me." 

"You're a little late today, even by your schedule," Atemu said, taking a would-be casual walk across the room to get to the couch. He felt like the parent, and he hated making Yugi feel like he had a curfew. He didn't need one as he wasn't going to get into drugs or a gang, and people left him alone in school now.

But he had to find out. Atemu couldn't stand not knowing what was going on in the other's mind. Didn't he have the right?

Yugi shrugged a little before finally looking away from Atemu completely and starting off towards his room, "I was just taking a walk…thinking…"

Atemu tried not to sigh; he hated how he was acting towards the smaller, but this couldn't keep going on. The smaller had not spoken to him in days or eaten in just as much time. He was always at the park now, apparently just thinking. He'd been like this for at least two months, and it was now no longer just a teenage phase. Something that was attacking his conscious that much couldn't have been 'just thinking,' "Come here, Yugi." 

Yugi's course towards his bedroom halted at once, and for a split second that lasted so much longer to the vampire, he looked as if he would actually tell Atemu no and keep on going towards his destination.

Was Yugi really like that? Would he really just ignore Atemu and keep on going, as if nothing was said at all? Were things inside of his mind and soul _really that bad_? 

Fortunately, Yugi's morals ended up overpowering his thoughts, and he hesitantly made his way over to the vampire; his walk was slow and hesitant; he did not want to be there at all. 

Atemu was suddenly struck with a terrible thought. Had Yugi become so distant because of something that _he_ did? Had he ever said or did something so wrong that Yugi lost all feelings for him?

Yugi sat down on the opposite end of the couch, almost as far away as Atemu as he could get. He turned his face towards the vampire, but still would not look at him.

That was it, wasn't it? Atemu knew now. _He_ was at fault for Yugi's discomfort. 

"What's wrong?" He asked, trying not to sound upset, and trying to truly act the role of the parent that Yugi needed.

"Nothing." Yugi said.

Crimson eyes blinked, picking up the subtle changes in Yugi's face as he spoke and the slight change of his heart's pace: he was lying. The last time that Yugi had lied was when he was 13, and having a problem with bullies. But this time, Atemu knew that the problem was so much worse than mere bullies. This problem was buried so much deeper than the skin.

And even though last time Yugi was worried about Atemu's well being, this time he just wasn't. The way that he absolutely refused to meet Atemu's eyes, and how he wouldn't go anywhere near him; Yugi was afraid of something for himself for once, and was guilty of something that he might have done that he wasn't supposed to.

Somehow that was connected to the vampire himself.

"Yugi," Atemu said, slowly sliding down the couch to get closer to his charge, "There _is_ something wrong. You've closed off your mind again, and you're lying to me. You won't even speak to me anymore. Why won't you tell me?" 

Yugi said nothing, but his eyes softened and unfocused so that the teen was in another world completely…

Atemu blinked, not sure of what he had triggered, "Yugi…?" 

There was no response. Yugi wasn't even listening anymore. 

Atemu cautiously raised his hand to Yugi's shoulder. What was going on? Why was Yugi so zoned out like this? What was he thinking about?

"Yugi. Yugi, talk to me." Atemu didn't think about it; he placed his hand on Yugi's shoulder.

The action was a catalyst. As soon as the two made contact, Yugi stiffened and froze; the glass over his eyes shattered into a million pieces, and both his breathing and his heart rate picked up to almost dangerous levels. Out of his mouth came a whimper and he still would not move. 

"Yugi!" Within a second, Atemu was up off of the couch and standing in front of Yugi, who was not moving at all. His eyes were now clenched shut, and the vampire could see tears forming underneath the lids; he put his other hand on Yugi's shoulder and shook him. He had to get him out of this; he had to make him stop, and talk, and figure out what was hurting him so badly, "Yugi!" 

"Please…" Yugi whispered, his voice sounding quaked, pained, and scared, "Please, don't hurt me…I'm…I'm sorry…"

All contact was broken between the two as soon as the sound waves hit Atemu's ears. Yugi was gone just as fast, his door slamming behind him as he ran. Suddenly, all of Atemu's strengths that were forced onto him meant nothing as the cold blood in him froze.

The vampire's legs gave out on him and he sunk to the floor, his body feeling weaker than it had in 3000 years. Yugi, of all people, thought that Atemu would _hurt him_?

Why? Why would Yugi think that at all? What had Yami recently done to make Yugi feel like he had to close off his mind, his connections…his _everything_?

Over the years, sure, he had done plenty to make Yugi afraid of him: he had tried to feed off of him, and he'd given him trust that he wasn't ready for. Atemu had even killed the boy's parents.

But why now? What was going on _now_ to destroy everything just when it was getting better?

Atemu had never felt so confused or helpless before. In the past he'd always known a reason, and always had a hint or a clue as to what was going on. Now, though, Yugi was afraid of him, and he couldn't even get inside of his mind or trust for that hint. What was the point of being on this earth when Yugi hated him?

There was nothing left, and he didn't even know what he did.

It took the vampire a long time to realize that he was crying; was this how Yugi was feeling right now? Helpless against something that was just too powerful for him to control?

Atemu wiped a cold hand over equally cold cheeks and curled his thin legs up to his chest; within a couple of minutes, he was asleep, though he wasn't resting. He had completely shut down.

After all, what else was there for him to do? Yugi was the thing in his life that kept it all going and tied to a single post. He was something constant and solid and semi-permanent, and in a breathtaking second, that post had suddenly lost anchor.

* * *

Yugi slammed the door behind him with a force that he didn't know he had and collapsed on the floor in the middle of his room. Tears were spilling unchecked over his cheeks and into his mouth, but he did nothing to stop them.

He had no clue what had just happened; when Yami had touched him, he just panicked, and became so afraid of the fact that his nightmares could have just come true. But Yami was only trying to _help_; how could he have known that Yugi was afraid of him, there was nothing to point the vampire in that direction, other than the fact that he just ran away from him.

There was no clue at all; Yugi just wanted help and comfort, but he had no way to get it.

Yugi sobbed rather loudly as he tried to breathe in and out at the same time; why was he having these dreams? He wasn't really afraid of Yami, was he? Why would he be? There was no one else in the world that he could go to, just Yami, so why would he think that Yami would betray him after such a long time? It just didn't make any sense.

With tears still streaming down his face, Yugi closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep. He deserved to have these dreams; he deserved them if even an ounce of him thought that they were true.

_Sticky blood…trailing down quivering flesh…_

It was everywhere…all over him…it dribbled onto his tongue and into his eyes…down his neck…over his chest…he swallowed, and his lungs went cold…crimson was mixing with oxygen.

He was screaming…screaming so loud…what was he saying?

Honey eyes floated out to him in the darkness…a soft feminine laugh.

* * *

"YAMI!"

The vampire's crimson eyes opened immediately. Who was that screaming?

Atemu couldn't think straight, and he felt as if he were drugged. His body was sore from sleeping in such an awkward position, but even through that hazy dreamlike sensation that was still filling his mind, Atemu knew who that was calling his name. There was only one person that would ever call him that.

Yugi.

Atemu was inside of the other's room and on the floor beside him before he even knew that he had moved. The smaller was gathered into Atemu's arms immediately, and he began to rock him back and forth slowly, just like he did when his aibou was little, and just like when they used to be close. 

/Yami…/

Yugi's mind was thrown wide open, and for the first time and for the first time ever, Atemu closed his just a little. Yugi was not feeling well, and was scared and vulnerable, not to mention physically and emotionally weak.

The vampire did not know why Yugi was crying or what was wrong with him, but he couldn't look. He couldn't look and see when Yugi was in such need of comfort and attention, not now.

He realized then, while Yugi was huddled and shaking, that the boy _always_ told Atemu what was wrong, even if it took a while. His thoughts were always revealed at the right time, never sooner, never later. Atemu just had to wait. 

Maybe it wasn't impossible to be both a parent and a friend, or maybe it was better to be neither.

Yeah, it was…wasn't it?

* * *

/It's okay aibou…it's okay…don't cry…you're okay…you're okay now…/

Yugi couldn't, though; he couldn't stop crying, and he wasn't okay. He felt like there was blood all over him; he was covered from almost head to toe in red sticky liquid, and there were two pricks on the side of his neck. There had to be, he could feel them.

His mind was thrown wide open, and the student didn't have the energy to keep it closed anymore. He didn't even want it closed; he didn't like it when Yami wasn't there to talk to him. He didn't like it when he felt alone inside.

And he wrong. Yugi was wrong for such a long time; it wasn't Yami that was hurting him inside of his dreams. It was just a nightmare, nothing else, but Yugi had blown everything so far out of proportion and insisted that he was supposed to be afraid of the other.

Of _Yami_, who wanted nothing more than to sit there and hug and rock him and hold him in arms. Yugi was afraid of the only person that ever cared about him.

He didn't have eyes like that; Yami's eyes were deep, crimson, wise, and thoughtful. Yugi should have never been afraid of those eyes, never, but for a minute he was.

And now that his mind was so far open for Yami to look in, he had to know; he must have known how stupid and foolish he was acting; how Yugi, after all this time, was still afraid to fully trust him, and that in the back of his mind was _still_ afraid of the fact that Yami was capable of hurting him.

When Yami was just happy to hear his name inside of his mind.

So Yami, after all of this didn't hate Yugi. He couldn't have, not after held him like this, not after he kept whispering in his mind like he did when Yugi was little. Not after Yugi felt him close off his mind just a little bit, so that he wouldn't see anything until Yugi wanted him to…

But even if he did, Yugi wouldn't have minded because Yami didn't hate him, and Yami still accepted him. Yami still loved him, even after Yugi almost tried to let him go forever.

And now, because it was only a dream, Yugi could finally slowly stop crying and slip into his own thoughts and not care, because even if they weren't just dreams, Yami would protect him. He'd protect him and hug him and make all of the demons go away.

It felt nice, too, because things that weren't deserved always felt nice when it was better than the act that was committed.

* * *

It was late: the moon was dropping pale fluorescent light over the two figures that still sat on the floor of Yugi's bedroom, and even the breeze outside seemed to quiet down in fear of disturbing them. By now, after no spoken words and just comforting thoughts laced through his mind, Yugi had fallen into what must have been the most peaceful sleep he'd had in weeks. His breathing was soft and content, and every once in a while, he would just cuddle into Atemu's arms and sigh, an almost happy look on his face.

The vampire, however, only slept a little. After he had let the darkness take him for the first time, and after he was placed in the most vulnerable spot of his existence, he began to see Yugi's dreams: the dreams that he's had for two months.

What he saw scared him, because only one person, dead or alive, had those eyes. 

The honey eyes of Nimataka.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on 7-8-06.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Please Review.


	14. Chapter 14

Yugi was still having nightmares. They weren't as often, and they weren't as painful, yet they were still there. And he didn't know why. Now that Yami was back to good terms with him, and the student wasn't afraid of him anymore, things had gotten better. Yugi felt stronger, and wasn't always tired anymore. 

But still, he wished that he knew why some female vampire with honey eyes was trying to kill him with such a vengeance in his subconscious. He wondered where he had seen them before.

The teenager walked into his house at about five o'clock that afternoon. He was trying to come home even earlier than usual because he felt bad about leaving Yami all alone for so long. It wasn't like the two did much when they bonded, but it still felt nice to just sit next to each other while one read a book and the other thought. It was hard for both of them to read at the same time, because their minds would comprehend what the other was thinking.

Ever since the incident, Yugi had kept his mind wide open. He did not care what Yami saw, and even if it could have gotten him in trouble, he'd let Yami see it anyway. Generally, Yugi did nothing wrong. He was a good kid, and everyone knew it.

That wasn't really a good thing, though.

No, what Yugi didn't want Yami to see was the fact that not everyone else was good. No one hit him anymore, but the teasing still hurt. That would always hurt.

Yet at the same time, Yami's mind had been slightly closed off as of late. Yugi wasn't positive, but he thought that it had something to do with Yami wanting to protect Yugi's privacy. Now that…that felt good. Yami didn't want to learn anything unless Yugi was going to say it, and that one simple gesture was enough to make Yugi feel like the most respected person in the world.

"Hello, Aibou," Yami said contentedly from his spot on the computer. He looked like he was just finishing a report for one of the few superiors that he had left. Since he had gotten the job years ago, he had passed many people in the rankings. Yami didn't really care; his job was his job, but Yugi felt proud of him. Yugi was always proud of Yami. "How was school today?"

He was grateful, too.

"Hi Yami," Yugi returned, laying his book bag on a dining room chair. Yami never told him to put his stuff away because he always did it anyway. "It wasn't bad."

The vampire closed all of his files in favor of turning around to stare at Yugi; his crimson eyes flashed with characteristic concern, "But it wasn't good?" The smallest flash of a smile played at Yami's lips, but it was gone before long. He was worried.

Yugi only shrugged, "No, I was _thinking_ a lot today." He paused, wondering if Yami was going to say anything. He didn't, "I had another one of those dreams last night."

* * *

"I had another one of those dreams last night."

Atemu sighed at the words that came out of his aibou's mouth. He loved that Yugi was being more honest and open towards him now; his mind link was there for him to see 24/7, but he wished that he could give the same honesty back. Maybe he could, but he didn't want to start something that might have been nothing. He didn't want to worry Yugi about Nimataka.

Of course the person in the dreams was Nimataka, but what would Yugi say if he knew that? He would think that something bad was going to happen, as bad things often happened to Yugi, whether he deserved them or not. He _never_ deserved them.

Besides, Atemu was almost positive that he knew what was going on. Yugi's mind link was so wide open that he was probably starting to pick up a lot of things from the vampire's memory. Even though he had closed off his own mind only slightly in response, he didn't want to make Yugi feel like he was trying to close him out.

But he _was_ trying to close him out.

Maybe that wasn't the best thing, though. Yugi had tried to do the same thing on many occasions. The first time he was sent to the hospital because of Atemu's attempt to gain back that trust. The second time, Yugi ended up so afraid that their relationship was almost ruined for good. For Atemu, there wasn't a hospital. Either he was 'alive', or he wasn't. And he didn't want to leave Yugi alone.

Maybe telling him the whole truth for once was going to be the right thing after all.

"Come here, Yugi," Atemu said, getting up off of the computer chair to sit on the sofa, "I need to talk to you."

* * *

Yugi walked over to the vampire with something less that excitement in his mind. He tried to close his emotions off, but feel Yami right there, telling him that it was okay to feel that way. he could He kept the passage open.

He was wondering what Yami was going to tell him; he didn't need the slight trepidation in his own emotions to see that the vampire was feeling uneasy. Plus, he used Yugi's real name, not their nickname. As a result, the student began to feel uneasy as well. He didn't like it. "Is something wrong?"

Yami shook his head, but Yugi could tell that he wasn't sure if he meant it or not, "No, not really. I just want to share something with you that might make you feel a little worried. But I want you to know anyway, because too much has been has been going on lately to just keep you in the dark." 

Noting the use of the word 'dark' by a vampire, Yugi went to the couch and sat down next to his surrogate parent. For some reason he could only remember the ill-fated times that he sat there; he didn't like that, either, "Okay…what is it?"

"I want to tell you the _full_ reason why I've been keeping my mind a little locked," Yami said, apparently struggling to find the correct words. Yugi became even more confused than before. He thought that he already knew why Yami was closing him off just the slightest bit. What else could it have been?

Something shifted in Yugi's own separate mind, but he tried to ignore it. He hoped that that _wasn't_ what Yami was thinking as well.

* * *

Atemu was having a very hard time with this; if he continued with what he wanted to tell Yugi, he would have to admit that he was lying to him for a little while, and he didn't want to risk Yugi's trust once more. There were only so many weights that you could attach to a string before it broke, after all.

Then again, if he was to lose Yugi's trust over this, it would be nothing less than what he deserved. He had once again gambled Yugi's feelings over his trust or vice-versa, and he could not continue to do that. He had to decide which was more important, or least when to use each ploy in different situations. He had to learn to do that at the proper time, as well.

"I-I thought that you did that because you wanted _me_ to tell you things," Yugi said slowly and a little unhinged; his voice was jumping; he was afraid. 

"I do," Atemu said quickly, not wanting to think that he was wrong; the smaller was just a little misinformed. Besides, Yugi telling the truth always felt better than Atemu having to pry it from him. That barely ever happened at all, "There's just more to it that I think you should know. I probably should have told you sooner."

"Well, what is it?" Yugi was now sounding a little demanding; his fear was mounting, and the vampire hoped that the level wouldn't get any higher than that. But of course it would; this was news that even Atemu was not sure of, so it could end up being dangerous if it was not said right.

To make matters worse, Atemu could sense a thought in the back of Yugi's mind. The student was trying to ignore it with all of his consciousness, but from what the vampire could see, he wasn't going to be able to ignore it for much longer.

"Yugi," Atemu started, taking one of those breaths that he didn't need at all. He wondered if they made Yugi nervous, but didn't think to see, "Three thousand years ago, before I was a vampire, I had a lover. Her name was Nimataka."

"A-huh," Yugi said slowly, "But I already knew all that. What are you trying to tell me?" He shook his head, while Atemu only looked on sadly. Yugi already knew, but he didn't want this truth to actually end up being true.

"She…" Atemu decided to get this over with quickly, "She had honey eyes."

* * *

_Honey eyes…_

Yugi couldn't keep the thought in the back of his mind any longer. The person, the vampire, that was in his dreams, his very mind, was a _three-thousand year old vampire_? Yugi didn't want to believe it, but he knew that it was true. Yami wouldn't lie to him.

Even though it scared him beyond all belief.

Just as all humans weren't the same, all vampires couldn't have been the same, either. Yami was nice and kind and wise, but if this woman could instill such fear in his _dreams_, then what would the reality be like?

The student felt sick to his stomach, "Well," He paused, trying to calm down his heartbeat, "W-what does that have to do with our link?"

He didn't understand; he was too nervous, and Yami must have seen that, because he suddenly looked a little regretful, "No, you misunderstood me," He said earnestly, "That's not what I meant. I don't think that she's after you." 

"Then, what do you think?" Yugi asked. Yami wasn't very good at these kind of talks, he was more of a hug-you-and-make-you-feel-better kind of guy. But still…he wouldn't have said something like that if at least a little of him didn't think it. Yami was, at the core, just as confused, and maybe just as scared, as Yugi was.

The thought wasn't comforting.

"I think that you're remembering _my_ memories," Yami said clearly. "That's why I've been a little distant lately. You're getting clips of what I felt, and that's why everything is so dark, other than her eyes."

It wasn't comforting at all, and that was basically because of one thing with many attachments, "But…it's always so…" He faded off, not sure if saying it would be safe or not.

"Painful," The vampire said simply, "I know…it was. I loved her a lot, Yugi. It hurt to have her do that to me."

The mood was suddenly too grim for Yugi to handle well. He tried to think of something; anything, "Her eyes were beautiful, Yami…"

That wasn't quite it.

"I know, aibou…I know. She was very beautiful, I've told you before."

Yugi had never fully realized, until now, how much Yami was missing the vampire from over 300 lifetimes ago. He really did love her, but since Yugi had never met her, he couldn't have known; he couldn't have really seen. It upset him to know that Yami would probably never love again. Not like that.

"I don't want you to feel sorry for me, Yugi. That part of my life is over now, and I had gotten over it long ago." Yami's deep voice interrupted Yugi gently, and he was surprised to see that Yami was now sitting much closer to him. His thoughts must have been too loud to ignore.

"But didn't you-" 

"I did love her, and I always will. But once she was turned and she lost herself, that's when the Nimataka I loved died." Yami said, his eyes showing something of the past. He could remember her face so clearly, but Yugi didn't want to look; it wasn't any of his business, and Yami deserved at least _some_ privacy.

The mood changed, though, when Yami began talking again. It was lighter, "But there's someone else that I love now, Aibou, and while it's a different kind of love, it's just as strong." He smiled, and Yugi smiled back at him.

The teenager was scared, but not as much anymore. Yami said it himself; she was gone now. He hadn't seen her in so long, that it was probably impossible that she was still in the world that they inhabited. She was long gone, and even if she _was_ invading Yugi's dreams, she wasn't real. She was only a memory. 

Yami would protect him from those memories.

* * *

_Yugi sat in his room, silently fiddling with an elaborate golden 3-d puzzle before mentally forcing himself to go do homework that was going to be due the next day…maybe it was actually going to be that morning; Yugi hadn't looked at his clock in a long while. And to tell one the truth, it didn't even matter what the time said, because Yugi knew that as long as he did good in school, Yami wouldn't mind._

Yami would never mind, even if Yugi was a failure at everything that he did in life. Yami would always love him, and Yami would always be proud of him, no matter what; even though Yugi had never done anything to tip the vampire's opinion in his favor.

But, Yugi mused, finally setting the half-finished contraption down on his desk, He loves me anyway…and I guess that that's what it means to be in a family…a real family…

Yugi stood up and stretched, not really caring about his homework due the next day. He could probably get away with doing it before class or during lunch. He slid his shirt off of his small frame, trying not to look at himself in the mirror; he hated his scars…he hated how he was so weak and that, along with his obvious mental strains, his skin was marked with those ugly raised marks.

A noise suddenly clattered outside of his room, and Yugi jumped, clutching his cotton tee to his bare chest. After a few seconds of silence, he breathed a little easier. It was probably just Yami, though the vampire wasn't known to stumble or fall. Actually, his surrogate parent was very graceful, had never, as far as Yugi was concerned, lost his footing before.

The student sighed audibly and shrugged, going in search of something to wear while he slept. He knew that he was just being paranoid, and even if he was supposed to be acting just a little paranoid, he just wasn't sure how much was enough.

Yami would tell him that he was being fine; that he wasn't being paranoid, and that he had the right to be just a little scared, because things happened to him in his past that didn't happen every day.

…Yugi just wasn't sure if he could believe him.

He had, by this time, ultimate trust in the vampire that raised him, but…could he really believe someone who always had his best interests at heart? Did things really work that way in his life? In anyone's life?

Yugi paused once more in his search for clothing; he heard his door creak open behind him, yet, when he turned quickly on both of his heels, his legs crossing as he moved, no one was there. He furrowed his thin brows in slight frustration; he distinctly heard the familiar creak of the hinges, but the door was closed, in the exact position it had been when Yami left to his own room after saying good-night.

So why did he hear that noise?

Suddenly, two cold arms, not unlike the feel of Yami's own skin, wrapped themselves around Yugi's bare slim waist. He shivered, because even those this flesh was the same temperature as Yami's, the attitude, the way that this person…woman…pressed into his skin…

He suddenly felt cold air in his ear…a tongue lightly caressed his flesh, and…far from being aroused by this, Yugi was scared. "Who…who are you?"

She didn't answer, and the only sort of responses or movements that Yugi got were the strong fingernails that began to slide effortlessly into his skin. He winced and sucked in a quick breath as he felt warm blood slide down his fevered flesh. It pooled at the waist of his jeans, but those fingers only began to dig deeper, holding him close to this unknown being. This being that didn't breathe.

"Come on, now…" She said softly, holdingYugi still as his legs gave out in intense fear and shock, "This won't hurt…just relax…you'll feel so much better…"

Yugi couldn't help but somehow believe her as tears welled up in his eyes and fell down his face at the same time. He was scared, and…Didn't Yami know what was happening? Didn't he feel the shock and fear that was forcibly leaking itself out of his mind?

Still supported by the nails that were now fully embedded in his hips, the woman lowered him to the ground and spoke to him, whispering as if she knew exactly what he was thinking, "He's not coming; he wants this to happen, you know. That's why he asked you all those years ago…"

Yugi sniffed. He knew that whoever this woman was, that whatever she wanted from him…she was right. Three years ago, when Yami asked him if he wanted to be turned into a vampire, he knew that by refusing Yami, the vampire had been seriously hurt, and that something inside of him hadn't been quite the same since, but…he didn't know that Yami would actually want someone to force _this on him…_

"What are you doing?" He asked in a quaking voice as the vampire began to open up his old scars. It hurt; blood dripped out them, free from the messily healed tissue. "Why?"

"Look at me, beautiful…" She said softly, finally lifting one of her slender fingers out of Yugi's skin and staining his soft blond hair as she ran those bloody fingers through it, "Don't be afraid…you need to see."

And slowly, though still too quickly for his mind, Yugi opened his eyes as already crimson fingers dug delicately into his face. They traced his scar that the bullies from school gave him, and they reopened the even older scar from so long ago; the one that his parents forced onto him…

She…this vampire…she was beautiful. Her hair was dark and long and straight, and sharp honey eyes gleamed out for him in the darkness. Her skin was tan…but it looked so much paler than it could be, just like…just like…

She ran her fingernail down Yugi's face again, then broke the raised skin on his scarred shoulders and back. Yugi shivered at her touch, having no other option available to him. This woman simply radiated with power…she could probably kill him with a single, effortless twist of his neck if he tried to get away. He couldn't even try.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked, trying to keep control of his voice but failing miserably; it shook as she drew a crimson line down his bare chest…cracked as she drew a circle right around his rapidly beating heart.

"Well, my dear," She said, bring her blood-stained fingers up to her lips as if to sample something sweet, "If I don't, then you'll have these scars forever…so many scars…You're too beautiful for all of these ugly marks, you know."

Yugi could only shake his head, "I don't want to…I don't want to…" He whispered over and over again, feebly shaking his shoulders and torso in an attempt to break free. He didn't want this…he wanted to know that he would die one day…that this life wouldn't last forever…that one day all of this pain that he had, it would be gone, all gone, "I don't…"

Yet the vampiress wasn't listening. She took no heed to Yugi's words and bent over slowly before breathing onto fevered pale flesh with dead murky air, "You don't…but…" Leisurely, she placed an almost gentle hand on Yugi's small skull and turned it towards the door, where someone was waiting…watching… 

…It was Yami with a new, terrifying look on his face. 

…Desire.

Yugi whimpered as he stared into those now cold red eyes.

"He does."

* * *

"Yugi! Yugi, wake up!" 

Yugi's violet eyes opened forcibly. He was shaking so hard, the tears were falling so fast, it was as if the water was his air, and because he lost it, he couldn't breathe. "Yami…" He whispered, "Yami, it's not your memory, it's not."

There was a split second pause that took far too long for Yami to grab a hold of, "What do you mean, 'Not a memory?' Of course it's a memory, she's gone. Yugi, she's gone."

"No!" Yugi said, folding his arms to his chest, making sure that there was no blood leaking out of old scar tissue, no crimson seeping out of his pores, "She was there, touching _me_, talking to _me_. About you, about me…Yami, this was real."

"No, shh," Yami said softly, pulling Yugi into his lap and whispering; Yugi didn't like how his voice was quavering. It meant that Yami was scared, too. Yami wasn't supposed to get scared, "It was a dream, nothing else, Yugi. What I told you just triggered something in your head, okay? That was it. Nothing else. Do you understand?"

Yugi could tell that Yami was also trying to comfort himself, not just Yugi. He was afraid that she was going to come back, and by doing so, ruin everything that Yami had managed to build up for himself. Including Yugi. Yugi meant that much to the vampire.

The smaller took deep breaths. Maybe Yami was right. Yami was right. He told Yugi the truth earlier that day, so he wouldn't go and lie now. It all made sense, anyways. He was just scared. That was all. It was all in his mind.

…Everything. 

"Yami?" Yugi asked, trying to get as close as possible to the vampire that he was sitting on, "Yami, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," The vampire answered. Yugi could tell that he was very confused. He must have somehow shut off his mind while he was sleeping. It was odd, but then again, so was their connection; it was bound to do something weird at one point, right?

"Three years ago…" He started, realizing that even though that time period for him was humongous, for the vampire, it was nothing but a second, "When you asked to turn me and I refused…do you hate me for it?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Yugi turned away. He shouldn't have asked. He shouldn't have brought it up. How stupid.

* * *

"Do you hate me for it?" 

Atemu's eyes went wide. He…did not know how to answer this question, or even that Yugi was still thinking about it. He could never hate Yugi, he couldn't even hate something that he thought or did, it was just not possible for him. But he wasn't disappointed, either. He wasn't sure what he was.

"Of course I don't hate you."

"But," Yugi said, apparently perplexed, "But you wanted it _so bad_. I shouldn't have said no. You gave me so much, and saved me so many times. My life should be yours, to do what want with it. I owe you that, don't I?" 

"No," Atemu said a little more forceful than he intended. He felt Yugi jump a little in his lap, "Aibou, I _wanted_ to help you. It doesn't mean that you owe me anything. I've never thought about it that way. That day, I was selfish. I shouldn't asked you such an important question while you were so young and hurt. I didn't want to be a vampire, it was forced on me. Why should I have expected anything different from you?" 

"But-" Yugi started again.

"Yugi, I don't know what happened in that dream, but it wasn't real. _None_ of it was real. Not what she told you, or what I might have done or said. None of it. Please believe me." Why was he begging? Even Atemu didn't believe himself. He was trying to take back what he told Yugi earlier, but he couldn't. He could only cover it up with other things. Other lies. Other hopes.

Atemu's hopes. He hoped that Nimataka was gone; he _knew_ that she was gone.

So why was his heart disagreeing with him?

The vampire sat with Yugi for a long time. The student's tears had dried because of what Atemu had told him, and now he was feeling a great deal of guilt. He had taken advantage of Yugi's trust, and might have lied to him. He couldn't stand it when his aibou cried. He just couldn't.

"I'm going to go to bed, okay Aibou? You can stay home tomorrow if you want, I don't mind." Atemu would have enjoyed it a lot if Yugi stayed home, but then again, if he was scared and worried all day, then maybe it wouldn't have been worth it. The vampire would have rather had Yugi go to school happy and relatively worriless.

"No," Yugi shook his head madly, "Would you…please stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone."

Atemu smiled softly. Yugi was still worried, and even though that wasn't _great_, it was still okay because he and Yugi were feeling the same things. They were still connected. And as long as Yugi worried at least a little bit, things would be fine. "Are you sure? Having me so close might make it easier for you to have nightmares."

"No, I don't care," Yugi said quickly, though he still meant every word, "I don't care if I have them. I just want you here with me, please?"

The vampire leant over a little and kissed Yugi's forehead, then hugged him tightly, trying to share the little stability and assurance that he had, "Okay, Aibou. I'll stay with you as long as you want."

They settled down on the mattress together, Yugi buried deep in Atemu's arms. The vampire could feel and hear Yugi's steady heartbeat, as well as his warm breath and temperature. Tightening his grip against his _son_, Atemu let himself fall into a sleep that he didn't necessarily need. 

But it was wanted, because that's where Yugi was at the time, and Atemu wanted to be with Yugi always. For Eternity.

Honey eyes still flashed.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: Damn it damn it damn it! I forgot what I was going to write::bangs head on random bricks: I had it all worked out in my head, and I forgot. How could I do that::cries:

Okay...wow, I haven't written this story in a while. You know why? Because the last chapter sucked. Whoever it was that told me to stop using so many '...'s...I love you. I really do. :smiles:

:Amazed: I haven't made Yami straight in a _really long time_...I'm amazed at myself. :amazed dreamlike state:

Anyhoo...I think that was an okay chapter seeing I lost my outline, if I had one at all, that is. I don't know.

Thank you to all reviewers! ...I'm sorry that I don't have some sort of witty comment, but...I just wrote pretty much this entire chapter in 4 hours. :nods: My creativity is drained.

Please Review.


	15. Chapter 15

Life was good again; after Yugi had that dream, the one where he was attacked by Yami's lover in his own room, they simply stopped. His sleep wasn't plagued by nightmares anymore, and he felt more rested and happier than he had in a long time. His relationship with Yami was just as good as it used to be, and Yugi couldn't think of anything that would make their lives better.

"Morning, Yam-" Yugi walked into the kitchen on a Tuesday morning, pulling his jacket on over his slim shoulders, but stopped when he saw the vampire; he was feeding. "Oh, sorry." His voice was quick, and he just as swiftly averted his eyes.

Yugi felt uncomfortable when he watched Yami feed, just as the other felt uncomfortable when he drank around his surrogate son. They never talked about it, but always tried to avoid it when possible.

Yami replaced the cap on his jar of cow's blood as soon as he saw Yugi, "Aibou," He swallowed, then replaced the fluid into the refrigerator, "I should have waited until you left."

Yugi shook his head, suddenly feeling a little ridiculous because of their phobias, "No, don't worry about it. I should have guessed that--" He stopped, then looked at the vampire. "Yami?"

The other's crimson eyes sharpened, renewing his concentration on the smaller along with picking up avid curiosity through their mind-link, "Yes?" 

"Could…" Yugi faded off, biting his bottom lip, "Could I try some?"

Yami raised one of his eyebrows and cocked his head, "I don't think that you'd like it, especially cold."

"I know," Yugi admitted, but didn't give up, "I just feel so silly, always avoiding you when you drink, and I think that you feel the same way. Maybe…if I knew where you were coming from or something…" It sounded absolutely absurd, so Yugi stopped. Yami didn't necessarily drink blood because he _wanted_ to; he needed it.

Yami sighed, though, and opened the refrigerator back up, "Don't feel that way, Yugi. You have nothing to be ashamed of, and have every right to be curious." He pulled the jar back out, and unscrewed the lid carefully, "And I agree; maybe this will help us become more comfortable around each other."

It was kind of sad that the little family, Yugi supposed, still felt nervous around each other on so many counts. Yugi didn't like coming to Yami with injuries because he was still a little afraid that Yami would snap; Yami didn't like leaving sharp objects around on the off-chance that Yugi would harm himself, increasing Yami's blood-lust.

Then again, all families have at least some vulnerability on certain levels.

Yugi took the jar into his hand; it felt cold against his palm, and looked up at Yami, who gave him an encouraging look, before placing the edge of the glass against his lips and taking a gulp.

He had licked a paper-cut free of blood before, but this was completely different. The liquid was thick and cold and seemed to leak into every pore of his mouth. The different elements in the blood tasted metallic on his tongue, and it seemed to get stuck in his throat when he tried to swallow. He wondered what his face must have looked like.

Trying to get it all down, Yugi choked and sputtered, dropping the glass. It shattered beneath him, left-over blood spilling onto the floor and into his shoes.

Yami was behind the student in a second, hitting his back to make it all go down. Finally Yugi could breathe again, and he instantly started to run water from the faucet before pouring some into a glass and draining it.

/Aibou/ Yami's voice in Yugi's head sounded alarmed and concerned/Are you alright/

Yugi nodded, wondering if Yami could see from behind him/Yeah. It was just thick./

/Are you sure/ His voice was hesitant.

"Yeah," Yugi finally spoke turning around to face Yami and wiping his mouth, "I'm sorry I broke the glass."

Yami shrugged, "It's fine. I'll clean it up after you leave." Yugi nodded, and the vampire continued, "Your shoes are ruined, though. Do you have another pair?"

Yugi nodded, "Yeah, they're down at the entrance. I'll just change them before I get going, which should be now. I'm running late."

Yami stepped forward and pulled him into a hug/I feel bad, Yugi. I shouldn't have let you try that. You aren't meant to drink blood./

Yugi shook his head and brought his father into his arms, feeling a little uneasy in Yami's time of weakness. He sighed/Neither are you, Yami./ There was a pause, and Yugi just relished holding someone and being held back/But it wasn't that bad, I just wasn't expecting to choke on it./

"Small sips," Yami whispered, running his fingers through Yugi's hair.

"I remember that for next time," The student returned, then pulled away from Yami, who gave him a kiss on the forehead, "I'll be home around ten tonight, I have to go to the library and finish a long project. Is that alright?" Yami nodded, smiling a little, and Yugi smiled too before walking downstairs to the sunlight.

* * *

Atemu sat on the couch about an hour later, looking at his hands and remembering the cold blood that stained them as he cleaned up the mess in the kitchen; he knew that Yugi meant well, but the only thing that he really did was make their separation over blood even larger.

All that came out of that for the vampire was a feeling of loneliness because he knew that he'd never be able to share or console these vampire sensations to Yugi. Yugi would never know what it felt like to need something that wasn't satiated by anything else; he'd never know what it was to need blood more than anything else, and the demon didn't know how he felt about that.

In a way, Atemu was being selfish and self-pitying because Yugi would never know what he had to go through to not just suck the flesh of anything living thing that passed him dry. But in another sense, the vampire almost felt sorry for the boy because he would also never know the colors or sounds that Atemu did.

He hoped that Yugi wouldn't feel more bashful now when Atemu needed a drink, because that wasn't the point of the student's experiment. He wanted to delve a little more into Atemu's world and see what he felt like.

Truth be told…Atemu did not hate the taste of blood. He loved the copper that floated over his skin, and he liked the thickness of it as it slid down his throat. He did not, however, enjoy the fact that something had to die for him to get it. Getting blood from an animal, the vampire could deal with, as that was just a little of his humanity that he retained: getting energy from the animals around him.

He couldn't drink from people though, and when he did it tore at his soul. He used to _be_ one of them, and why should he take away their lives just because he didn't exactly have one of his own anymore? That was the part that wasn't fair, and that was the part that Atemu hoped Yugi would never have to go through…never.

A small smile flittered across his face, though, as the vampire stood up to go do some work on the computer: Yugi had said that he wanted to try again, and by the waves in his mind, he meant it. Yugi was determined to try to understand Atemu, and that meant more to him than almost anything else could.

* * *

Yugi sat in the library in the early evening, gazing out of the window at the setting sun. He wondered just how much Yami missed it, and just how much it hurt when it burned its way through his dead skin. Yugi had never thought about the pain that Yami went through by even realizing day after day that he could never go out into the light again.

What other things did he feel? Did it feel any different to move or to see? What about smell? Was that different, too?

Yugi would never know, though, because deep down he was afraid to be a vampire. It had never hit him before, but he now knew that he had a amazing opportunity waiting for him that no one else at his school could even dream of. When the time came for him to die…would Yugi regret it?

But if he did take the chance, and he hated it…would he ever be able to get his humanity back? Would it be possible for him to die? Even Yami was afraid of dying, otherwise he might have taken the chance and stepped out into the sun by then.

It was amazing, Yugi mused just before the library closed, how one gulp of blood could bring all of these questions to him. He wanted to try that liquid again, to really taste it, and really feel it sliding down into his system. He was already feeling queasy because of the strange substance, but knew that it would pass.

Yugi would live with the discomfort if it meant getting that much closer to Yami.

_It will,_ a voice said, penetrating Yugi's mind, _Closer than you know. He wants this more than anything._

Yugi's head snapped up at the clock struck the half-hour. It was nine-thirty, and the student should have left the library a fifteen minutes ago. He shook his head, clearing his mind of the voice. It was probably, as odd as it sounded, just the blood.

Yugi slipped his books into his brown bag, then logged off of the computer he was using and put his resources back. His project was almost done, and would probably take just a few more hours, if that. It would even be possible for him to just finish it at home; Yami would like that because Yugi been out quite often as of late, doing work.

He stepped outside of the library, and the cool night air hit his face. It was cloudy out, but the moon shone a half-crescent across the sky. Yugi looked at it, wondering how far away it really was, and just how deep those craters were. He wondered if Yami thought the same things, or if he had simply given up on them long ago.

Did immortality do that to people?

_You want to find out, don't you?_ The voice came back to Yugi's head, and he shook it, feeling it get stronger. He would have guessed that it was Yami in his mind, but it couldn't have been; Yami would never joke about such things. He would have given an answer to the smaller.

But it was true…Yugi did want to know. He hated how it sounded in his mind, but Yugi _wanted_ to be a vampire. He wondered what Yami would say if he heard that. Would he try to talk him out of, ask him to think longer, or simply do it without complaint?

Yugi settled on the fact that the blood had to be doing weird things to him. Or maybe…he just curious, and was sick of going through life with no friends. He hated seeing other people making plans and going on dates. He tried not to let it, but jealousy took over. He owed Yami, too. Yami should, for once, get something that he wanted.

All that Yugi could do was ask.

_Excellent_, the voice said, and Yugi stopped, feeling it take control of his mind and thoughts for a moment. It seemed as if it got stronger with every step that he took. It scared him.

Yugi turned his head, feeling as if someone was following him. He still had a while to go until he got home. 

Someone was there, but Yugi only saw her for a moment in the dim streetlight before she disappeared. She looked pretty, with dark skin and a slim figure. A white summer dress was the only thing that she wore, along with dark sandals. Her hair seemed to drift about her though there was only a small wind. She radiated with power, just like Yami did.

Yugi shook his head, then continued walking. It was probably just someone from his school working on the same project. After all, it was impossible to know _everyone_ that attended Domino High.

He saw her again, though, a little farther ahead. He wondered how she managed to get there, when she was so far behind before. Yugi decided to alter his course a little and take the longer way home. There were more houses around the outskirts of the park, and more lights, too. He was starting to get scared again, his heart thumping in his chest.

Still looking around him, Yugi got a little more comfortable as he slowed his pace again. He stopped at the nearest store, too, to buy a coffee. Yami didn't really understand coffee too much, so didn't buy it often. Luckily he didn't mind when Yugi drank it.

The hot liquid soothed his nerves, and instead of stalkers, he found himself wondering if Yami would start to worry because he was coming home so late. He decided after a few seconds of thought that he would just mind-link him, though he was probably risking waking the vampire up from a doze. 

Just as he would about to open up his mind more, he saw the young woman again. She was closer this time than ever before, and Yugi's eyes widened when his violet met her own gaze.

Her eyes were dark yellow…just like honey. Those honey eyes were the ones that tormented Yugi only a few weeks ago, right down to the shape and the way that they narrowed when focused.

And then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone. Dropping his Styrofoam coffee cup, Yugi ran as he fast as he could, back home. He had to tell Yami about this, before it was too late.

* * *

"Yami, Yami, wake up!" 

Atemu opened his eyes to find Yugi kneeling beside the couch, sweat pouring off of him in slippery pearls. He looked terrified, though the vampire wasn't sure of what. He was almost afraid to look into the other's mind to find out, "Yugi, Aibou, what's wrong? What happened?" He looked at the clock, and saw that it was almost a quarter to eleven. The student still had his shoes on, "Why are you home so late?"

"She's here." Yugi blinked, and his bottom lip started to quiver as if he wanted to cry. Atemu wasn't sure if he had ever seen the student like this, "Yami, I saw her, on my way home. Nimataka."

Atemu shook his head, "Yugi, that's impossible." He sat up, and pulled Yugi down onto his lap, "Calm down, okay? You probably just saw someone that looked like her." He blinked as well, and raised a hand to finger Yugi's lip in an attempt to get him to calm down, "It was probably just the blood that you drank this morning; it's just not agreeing with you."

* * *

Yugi shook his head; Yami just wasn't getting it. She was moving so fast, and was always there. She looked and felt so powerful…just like Yami. He didn't know what to say; maybe there was nothing.

"Aibou, calm down, okay?" The vampire said again, his arms wrapping around Yugi's waist as he hugged him, "There is nothing is that is going to harm either you or me."

He just wasn't getting it. Yugi did the only thing that he could do, and, pushing back tears, sent the memory of Yami's lover through their minds. Yami froze, feeling the image enter, then dropped his eyes, recognizing everything about her. 

"Yugi, stay here," Yami said, then moved the smaller off of his legs to stand up, "If you hear _anything_, then go to your room."

"But, Yami," Yugi started; a locked door wasn't going to do anything for anything against a vampire, "You're not think-"

It was too late. The vampire was already gone, the door swinging shut and locked behind him.

Yugi stared, suddenly wishing that he had his coffee back. There was something happening inside of him that he was afraid of, and he had a feeling that it wasn't going to end well. 

He wished that Yami didn't leave, because he was now alone. And there was nothing worse than being alone while scared at the same time.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: Well...I'm back! I apologize for the seriously long time that it took me to update. I'm even more sorry that I'm starting to wrap up this story already. I'm not sure how many chapters are left, though.

...This chapter was odd. I hope that the ending is okay, because I'd hate to have kept you readers waiting so long for a sucky ending.

I'll probably start updating this on a weekly basis, and I _will_ finish all of these stories someday. Promise.

Thanks to all reviewers::huggles:

Please Review.


	16. Chapter 16

Atemu ran through the streets of Domino, hopelessly looking around him at every intersection and alley. He didn't want to believe that Nimataka was there in the city, but at the same time he was wishing for it with all of his soul.

It had been _three-thousand years_. It was impossible for a normal mortal to understand it, because it was just too difficult to comprehend. Atemu had been away from the love of his life for over three hundred lifetimes, yet she was still existing, and she was still looking for him with every resource that she had.

Atemu, somehow, just wanted things to be back to the way they were _before_ Nimataka came back from that trip. He was in love, and while his body was next to hers, there was a feeling inside of the vampire that he just couldn't explain. It was…_completion_.

But what about now? Didn't Atemu have everything that he needed right there in the present? Didn't he have someone to love, and someone to love him back? Didn't Yugi give that to him? Or did the vampire somehow feel that Yugi had let him down because he didn't want to be converted? 

Was it even _possible_ for him to think like that? Or was it just not fair?

Atemu stopped running on the outskirts of the park and sat underneath a tree, his eyes unfocused. It wasn't like he was tired, but he just needed to stop and _think_ for once. It probably wasn't the best thing to leave Yugi alone in the house while he was so unnerved, but he had panicked, not sure if what was happening was what he wanted or not.

Maybe it was both. 

Nimataka couldn't have been there; not now. Not after Atemu had _finally_ made something of his life and affected someone in a good way. Not after he was finally so happy; not now that he felt complete again.

But was it fair to her?

Atemu put his head in his hand and closed his eyes, not sure what to make of his thoughts. He had been around for just as long as Nimataka; what were the last three millennia like for her? Was she just as lonely, or was she merely the villain that Atemu had grown accustomed to thinking about?

Had she retained her humanity for so long, or was it gone even before she stepped into his bedchamber that warm summer's night?

_Yugi_, Atemu thought reaching out to the other's mind, wanting to feel that comfort that his consciousness always radiated, _I'm sorry that I ran out on you like that. I'll be home in a couple of minutes._

But there was no response. The wind blew gently around him, rustling the leaves of the tree that he was under, and the vampire shivered; it had nothing to do with the cold.

_Yugi?_ His mental voice sounded worried, but nothing was wrong. Nothing _could_ have been wrong.

Nimataka was not there. She was gone now, just like Atemu concluded years and years ago. She had done what he could not, and stepped into the sun when it all became too much. That was it.

The only reason that Atemu ran out that night was because he _wanted_ it to be Nimataka. He _wanted_ to be able to find her, because no matter how much he denied it, Atemu still loved her. He still wanted to hold her in his arms, and no matter how impossible it was, he still wanted her to have _his_ child.

But what about the child that he already had and loved? What about Yugi, who had placed his total trust in him when it should have been unachievable? What about Yugi, who was at Game Shop right now, alone and confused because his guardian had run out without really listening to a word that he had said? What about him?

Atemu did not want to think about the question these rampant thoughts had brought up, already ashamed of himself for knowing that there was one at all. _Who did he care more about?_

_Yugi?_ The vampire tried again; he hoped that the student wasn't angry at him, because he truly didn't mean to do anything wrong. It was a mistake, and even though the vampire had made his fair share of them, the smaller had always forgiven him before. He hoped that that wasn't all about to stop now, _Yugi, are you there? I said that I'll be home in a few minutes._

He barely heard the response, and if he wasn't so on edge already then he might have missed it, _Now._

_What?_ His mental voice was rising, something that didn't happen too often. 

_Yami, please. Come home now._ Yugi started to panic, his heartbeat reaching Atemu from a considerable distance away, and the vampire was on his feet before he realized it, knowing exactly what was going on. He shouldn't have left the Game Shop. He shouldn't have, because that was exactly what _she_ wanted.

_Who is it, Yugi?_ Yami pleaded, "Who is it!" He didn't notice how his urgings had suddenly shifted to spoken words, but it didn't matter as Yugi heard him anyways. It wouldn't have mattered if Yugi answered or not, though, because Atemu was already running home as fast as possible, the answer running through his mind before Yugi even answered.

_It's her._

* * *

Yugi walked around the second floor of the Game Shop erratically; it was only minutes after the vampire had left. He was worried about Yami, and knew that he was probably scared because of everything that had been happening.

It had been thousands of years after all, and Yugi couldn't even _begin_ to comprehend what that meant. It was just all so surreal.

Too surreal, he mused, still walking through random rooms of the apartment, not even feeling the carpet sink through his toes with each step. The student couldn't imagine what Yami was going through out in the city, and therefore closed his mind off to give him some privacy. He was probably confused and extremely prone to doing something reckless. Yugi hoped that he wouldn't hurt someone out there, because Yami had worked too hard to lose it all now.

But really, _what_ was surging through his veins? Did he feel adrenaline and the urge to kill because of his frustration, or did he just want to go and sit somewhere alone? Was he merely running through the streets of Domino, calling out his lost love's name? 

Yugi would never know, because no matter how close his mind got to the other's, he was still a mortal, and Yami was still a vampire. He didn't know what blood lust felt like, and Yugi wasn't sure if that was a relief or just another obstacle. If given the choice, would he change it?

The student suddenly found himself in front of the refrigerator, but seeing where his thoughts were going, he wasn't really surprised. He stared at the rough surface of the door for a moment, just contemplating…just wondering. He realized that for a while now, all that he really wanted was an understanding of his surrogate parent.

He couldn't do that, though, not with things the way that they were at the moment. He still, no matter what, could not fully trust Yami, because even when the vampire's thoughts were right in front of him, he couldn't figure out where they came from or where they were going to go.

Was those thoughts just his nature, existing before he was turned, or they the demon inside of him? Was it even a demon, or was it something else just fighting to stay alive in this world? 

Still thinking, Yugi half-mindedly opened the refrigerator door and took out another jar of blood; the glass was cold against his skin and he involuntarily shivered. Something, some farm animal, was kept alive by this liquid, but they weren't alive anymore, so did it really matter? Were they going to be needing it anymore? No. 

That's why Yami drank blood like that. But did he _really_ long for the sweet taste of human sustenance? Was there so much of a difference in the taste? Or…was the difference only in the way that it was obtained?

Opening the jar, Yugi brought the lip of it up to his mouth. He could _smell_ how thick it was, and remembered the feeling of choking on it from just that morning. 

_Small sips_, he remembered Yami saying, and took a deep breath before once again tipping the liquid into his mouth. He pulled away from it after a second or two, and forced his mind and his mouth to accept the foreign substance. He didn't hate it, but as it flowed down his throat and into his stomach, he once again got the far away feeling of wanting to get rid of it.

Yugi took deep gulps of air, though, and soon enough the feeling went away. He closed the refrigerator door, glass still in hand, and took another sip. The feeling wasn't as bad the second time around, but it was still there. 

After the fifth or so sip, however, Yugi found that he couldn't take it anymore. It felt like his throat was trying to constrict itself, blocking the flow of any more crimson. He stomach felt like something that he couldn't remember ever having before, and he felt suddenly dizzy as he placed the jar on the coffee table in front of the couch.

_What's happening?_ Yugi thought, bringing a hand that was suddenly shaking up to his forehead. His fingers grabbed at his soft blond bangs as he continued to shake, feeling like he was going to be ill but his body wouldn't relieve itself. His skin felt clammy and cold; he didn't like this reaction to the blood, but couldn't understand where it was coming from.

It didn't do it that morning.

A thought rushed into Yugi's mind, but before he could properly open his mind to scream to Yami, a cold thin arm wrapped itself around his throat. He gagged a little, feeling blood rush up to his mouth before deciding to fall back down. 

This wasn't happening.

Gentle hands wound their way through Yugi's soft hair, gliding across the skin on his ears. He shivered, and wanted to cry out as loud as he could when he felt this familiar voice in his head. It wasn't Yami's. _You won't be feeling sick for much longer…. Don't worry._

* * *

_Yugi_.

Atemu wanted to scream. Only seconds ago he had walked into the Game Shop, a feeling of total sickness and loss overwhelming him. Before he could do anything about it, though, his entire body froze.

His mind just couldn't seem to accept the scene that was in front of him. It was like his past life had collided with his present one, and all of the threads that were holding the two separate had frayed and fallen apart. He stared, nonplussed at the image in front of him.

Yugi was standing only feet away from him, his face pale and layered slightly with sweat; he wouldn't have noticed it if it weren't for his vampire senses. His flesh was trembling, and it looked like he was doing everything in his power just to make sure that he was still breathing.

Standing over him, with her arm around his neck, was Nimataka.

He blinked.

The vampiress in front of him was just so beautiful, even after all of this time. Her eyes were darker than he last remembered them, but they still shone with love and lust. Her skin had a slight tan, and was still as flawless as the day that he left her. Her lips were smooth and delicate, but underneath it all Atemu knew that the flesh was strong.

He remembered the last time that he kissed those lips, and it was driving him crazy.

"Atemu." Her voice was exactly the same as it was before. "I've finally found you, after all of this time." She stopped and smiled, truly happy to be with her lover after so long, "You've changed."

The statement was simple, but the vampire knew exactly what was meant by those words; it was standing in her grasp at the very moment, "Let him go." His voice didn't sound like his own. How was this happening after all of this time? _What_ had he done to deserve this? Hadn't he paid back his dues? "Let him go, Nimataka!" 

How her name slipped out of his mouth.

"What's his name?" She asked, not taking the other's demand into account. She ran her free hand over Yugi's face slowly, her elongated fingernails grazing his skin lightly, "Yugi, isn't it? He's beautiful, Atemu."

He couldn't decide who to look at. His mind was so lost, and he didn't know what to do. What _could_ he do? He didn't know how to fight a vampire, despite the fact that he was one, and he didn't know how to save Yugi. Saving his son was his priority, no matter what.

Atemu looked at him, at the bright amethyst eyes that always gazed at him in curiosity and wonderment. Now, though, they were widened in fear. _Yami…_ His mental voice was just as terrified as his voice, _Yami, what do I do?_

_I…_ Atemu paused, realizing for the first time there were no choices to be made. In the past, there was always something that he could do. Now, though…there was nothing. He had nothing to say, no paths to take. He'd never felt this way before, _I don't know._

Yugi said nothing, and just blinked. He was probably just as surprised as the vampire was, but deep down they both knew that something like this would happen someday. The past always repeated itself, and it was just too bad that it had to be _now_, when everything was finally getting better for and between the two of them.

_Are you hurt?_ Atemu asked, now noticing that Yugi's aura felt tired and sick. _You feel sick to me._

_The blood…_ Yugi sounded upset now, more than anything, _It was the blood, Yami. I didn't think that it would make me this sick, and I wanted to try again. I just wanted to-_

_Shh, Aibou._ Atemu thought, trying to make himself sound as comfortable as possible; he dimly noticed the half-drunken jar of blood on the coffee table, _It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. Please calm down._ It was a foolish thing to say, though. None of them were calm.

None of them other than the beautiful vampire intruding on the family.

"You've never tasted him, Atemu." Nimataka idly noticed, "Have you?" 

"Let him go." He tried again, still rooted to the spot. His eyes were glued onto Yugi's, as he refused to look at his lover. He couldn't, not now. He tried to appear calm for his Aibou, but he was almost positive that he was shaking as well.

"I didn't think so," She continued, still not listening to the other vampire in front of her. Her gaze floated to him for a minute before flitting back to the top of Yugi's head, "After all, he's innocent. And I think that if you got a hold of something so pure, Atemu, you wouldn't be able to let go."

"Nimataka!" 

She still wouldn't listen, and raised her hand again to wipe the smaller's neck clear of any stray hair. Atemu heard Yugi's heart rate pick up impossibly more as she tilted his head to the side. _Yami._ He sounded so desperate, so scared.

Atemu blinked slowly as Yugi closed his eyes, _Be strong, Yugi. Please…be strong._ Nimataka started to open her mouth and bent her own head. Atemu had never felt a stronger urge to burst into fits of either tears or rage, but he could do neither, rooted to the spot and more afraid than he had been in such a long time, _I'm sorry, Aibou. I'm sorry._

Yugi flinched heavily as Nimataka buried her fangs into his neck and moved her arm underneath his to support him as the smaller's legs gave out. His mind instantly went into a flutter of thoughts and feelings, none of which Atemu could hold onto for longer than a second. Above all, he felt fear and pain as the woman above Yugi drained him of his very life.

Yet all that he could do was watch.

Atemu had never thought that something like this could ever happen, yet now it seemed so stupid and foolish to have really hoped that. He should have known that Nimataka would have stopped at nothing to find him, he really should have. She was in love with him, but it was more dangerous because he ran away from her.

She was so unbalanced and irrational, but Atemu could only follow his deepest dreams in hopes of a better life.

And look where it got him.

_Yami…_ Yugi thought, and the sound shot out to the vampire's mind as everything else started to fade away. It finally got across to Atemu that Yugi was dying.

He couldn't explain the feeling, but it was as if everything stopped and sped up at the same time. There was no time to make a decision, and there really wasn't one to make, but all the same everything felt so clear.

His voice cried out into the air that was thick with the scent of blood; it was so sweet, but he tried not to think about it, "Nimataka, stop! You're killing him!"

Finally, Atemu's words had gotten through to the vampiress. She pulled her lips away from Yugi's neck, now dripping with blood, and looked the other straight in the eyes. She smiled and let go of the smaller, and he stood there for a minute, completely out of it. His violet eyes were swimming in his own thoughts and the desire to just sleep forever.

_Yugi,_ Atemu shouted in his mind, his sight of his son being blocked slightly by the vampire that was walking towards him, _Yugi, answer me!_

There was nothing, no response, and time seemed to go a little slower as Yugi fell to one knee, his neck still leaking a red shining crimson. His hand went behind him instinctively to hold up his weight, but it bucked immediately under the pressure and he fell onto his back. His eyes were still open, and Atemu knew that he was still alive, but he didn't move again.

"_Yugi!_" Atemu didn't even bother trying to hide his voice from his lover. He didn't look at her, and could only watch as Yugi's eyes did nothing to wake him up. He was lost in his own head, but there was almost nothing left in his mind, either.

He was truly dying.

Suddenly Atemu was in someone's arms; he hadn't been held like this in such a long time, but he knew that it wasn't the same. Nimataka's grasp was cold; there was no love and no comfort in the embrace. He just stood there, staring at Yugi as his life wound to a close. He didn't acknowledge the fact that his lover was there, even though she was the one that did all of this in the first place.

Her breath was in his nose; it smelled like blood. Yugi's blood. "I missed you so much," She whispered, and then leant down and kissed Atemu softly on the lips. He tried not to respond, he tried so hard, but Yugi's blood was filling his dead lungs and taking over his senses. 

It was on his lips, and as a single drop slipped into his mouth, Atemu wanted more. He deepened the kiss and pushed his body flush against Nimataka's, then grabbed her arms and pulled her closer to him, burying his nails into her golden skin.

Atemu missed Nimataka so much; it didn't matter how long they had been apart, because a love like that didn't just fade. It should have, and Atemu sincerely wished that it had, but it remained intact across the very sands of time. He wished…that he hadn't left her in the first place.

She moaned against his mouth and Atemu tasted the blood rippling across his tongue.

It tasted so good, and he hated it.

He hated it; he hated everything about this woman, and it took him this long just to figure it out. She killed him; the love of his life killed him, and that was unforgivable. She almost killed Yugi, too…the only person that had accepted him since he had left Egypt.

How could he have thought that he loved her? 

"No," He whispered, and ripped his mouth away from hers. Blood dribbled down both of their chins. "No, you're not here." Nimataka just stared at him, his statement meaning nothing, her honey eyes boring into his crimson.

Atemu didn't care. He pushed her away, his fingernails sliding out of her skin, and fell to his knees next to Yugi's comatose body. He still hadn't moved.

He thought that he loved her because he still did. 

"Yugi," Atemu whispered, grabbing the other's hand and honestly forgetting that Nimataka was still in the room. How could this had happened? The two of them, as a family, had made so many mistakes over the years and had made it through everything, in one piece. How could Yugi be dying over something that they had no control over? How was it fair? How did that work? "Yugi, please answer me."

Swallowing heavily, the smaller shifted his head a little, using all of his energy, and looked the vampire right in the eyes. His lids were heavy, covering half of his irises, but they could still focus, if only a little. Yugi was still alive. _Yami, I--I can't move._

"It's okay, Aibou," Atemu said, unable to come up with the concentration to use their mental bond, "It's okay, you don't have to."

_I'm scared._

"I know," Atemu whispered, squeezing Yugi's hand a little in a last attempt for comfort, "Me too." He raised his free hand slightly and went looking for Yugi's injury; two red pinpricks stained with blood stood out in the dim light of the living room. It had clotted, though, and stopped bleeding.

Yugi wasn't going to die.

_Yami, behind you!_ Yugi moaned, using some of his last reserves of energy to yell into Atemu's mind. His eyes were no longer looking into crimson, but reflecting a body behind them.

Atemu didn't have the time to turn around.

"I thought so," Nimataka said softly, and before the vampire knew it he was hit on the side of the head with more force than he had ever felt before. He felt his vision going black from surprise and fatigue as glass embedded itself in his skull, and then he knew no more.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: So...what do you think? I have this odd feeling in my gut right now. I'm not sure what it means. :frowns:

For some reason I'm feeling as if there's something terribly wrong with this chapter. I just don't know how to fix it. Any help?

I want to thank Blue Bull specifically for this chapter. She gives me criticism, and I'm really trying hard now to perfect my chapters. So...thanks!

Nimataka's scary. I didn't really develop her character too well I suppose, I think that I'm doing alright with her. Basically...she's fucking nuts. Excuse the language. :D. 

Please don't mind my immaturity here, but...WOW! I didn't think that I would be able to go through with making Yami straight! My last 30 fics featured him in a Yaoi/Shonen-ai situation, so...I'm amazed that I still have the ability. :D.

Thanks so much to all reviewers! I really appreciate it!

Please Review.


	17. Chapter 17

Yugi couldn't even scream. His heart was beating way too fast, and he couldn't get the air from his lungs to his throat. There was barely enough blood in his system to keep him alive, and because that crimson was being used to keep his brain from shutting down, his limbs felt heavy and weak.

So the student only watched as Yami's body fell to the ground, his hand around Yugi's going limp. His eyes were open, and even though Yugi knew that he would be alright soon and that the blow wasn't enough to kill him, he was still scared. No one had _ever_ been able to hurt Yami before, and if this vampiress was strong enough to hurt him, who knew what she would do to Yugi?

_Yami,_ Yugi whispered in his head; he still couldn't gather the energy to speak out loud. And even if he could, he didn't want to have to hear the quavering of his voice, _Yami, please wake up. Please wake up._

But no, those crimson eyes stayed blank and still, the pupils dilated to the point where the irises were almost gone.

Yugi couldn't even scream, so he started to cry. He closed his eyes so that he couldn't see anything anymore, and he let salty tears slide down his face. A droplet of the water found its way to the two puncture wounds in his neck, and he shivered, pain crawling down the vein.

It wasn't fair. Yami didn't do anything, and only wanted to help Yugi when Yugi needed it. But now…nothing was going to be the same. Even if the two of them were to get out of this alive, together, and without Nimataka, it would still never be the same. It was like their lives were ruined, yet it only seemed to have begun.

"Shh." Yugi heard a whisper float into his head, but it didn't do anything to calm him. He wanted to shake, but his body was doing that already. It was trying to stay alive. "Don't cry, beautiful," Nimataka said, and she ran her fingers through Yugi's hair again.

It wasn't fair that her hands were soft and gentle. It wasn't fair at all. So Yugi still cried.

"It won't hurt, I promise you," She said, and through all of the black and white pain Yugi felt himself being picked up into the air; he tried to grab onto Yami's hand, but it fell out of his own as he was carried away. Yugi wanted to struggle and kick and do anything at all to get away from this _monster_, but just couldn't find anything inside to do it with.

Yami was right there beside Yugi, but for the first time in the student's life he just couldn't do anything to help. Everything was in the hands of this beautiful vampire with the soft gentle touch and an unbalanced, corrupt mind. 

Deep down Yugi thought that he was going to die, though another part of him told him that if that was going to happen then it would have already. Yet another side of Yugi just wished that he would.

Cold air hit the student's pale face and he shivered, knowing that they were no longer inside of the Game Shop. He had left Yami all alone, and even though he was no longer near the vampire, Yugi could still see his face. He could now feel the faint throbbing of his head where Yami was hit, too. He could almost _feel_ the vampire blood trickling down his skull.

Nimataka cradled him in her arms as if he was an infant. To her, he was. "I know it hurts, I know." She was still reading Yugi's thoughts…could feel his very pain, "But it won't hurt for much longer." She paused, and Yugi could almost see her full lips curling into a smile, "After tonight, you and Atemu will be feeling so much better. You'll never hurt again."

Yugi didn't say anything; he didn't have to, because he knew what it meant. He was going to be turned into a vampire, but that wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want this person to take away his life and give him something so much more permanent. He didn't want to drink Nimataka's blood. 

Yugi wanted _Yami_ to do that for him. He wanted to drink _Yami's_ blood and stay with _Yami_ for the rest of eternity. Not her.

She stopped walking after a while, and Yugi opened his eyes when he felt himself being lowered onto something hard. He moved his head very slowly from side to side, and numbly realized that they were at the park.

Yugi blinked, his eyes burning strangely. Domino Park was the place where his life really began. It was where Yami had saved him from his parents that night almost thirteen years ago, and it was where his future turned into something that contained love and compassion.

His life began there…would it end there, too?

Nimataka lifted Yugi's head and replaced it on her lap as she sat down as well. Yugi wasn't sure if he could walk yet, but he knew that if he even tried to escape then terrible things would come out of it. The vampiress started to hum a soft, sweet tune. The air was warm and mellow, and the sky was only partially cloudy. The half-crescent moon could still be seen.

Yugi wasn't even crying anymore, and he actually started to relax. He felt something stirring in the back of his mind, and fuzzily wondered if it was Yami waking up. The thought left his head quicker than it came.

"Yugi…all that Atemu ever wanted was a child." Nimataka said, running her fingers once more through Yugi's sweat-matted hair. Her fingernails grazed Yugi's skin softly…threateningly.

Suddenly he couldn't relax anymore, and his heart started to pump still-faster.

* * *

Atemu opened his eyes very slowly; for a minute he couldn't even remember what had happened. His mind was completely blank, and it was like there was in fact nothing there. 

He sat up very lethargically, and raised his hand up to the injury on his head on instinct. It didn't hurt anymore, and must have healed, too, because when Atemu brought his fingers up to his eyes, there was nothing there. The injury had healed.

_Maybe I just got knocked out on instinct,_ Atemu mused, blinking. That must have been it. His mind felt so empty and clear…he wondered why he was knocked out in the first place.

Frowning slightly at his lack of memory, Atemu stared around the room. Pieces of glass from the jar of blood were scattered next to him, and the floor was stained with what was left in the container. The smell of pig's blood was strong in the vampire's nose, but as he turned his head to look at the other side of the living room, he realized that there was another scent in the air.

There were different stains on the floor.

Atemu's red eyes widened when he remembered what had happened. Nimataka had hit him when he was sitting with Yugi and trying to get him to wake up, and now both of them were gone.

He was gone. Yugi was gone, and he couldn't do _anything_ to defend himself against Nimataka. She was just as powerful as Atemu himself was, but was so much more irrational and unpredictable. If Yugi was left alone with her, then there was no way that he would _survive the night_. Where was he?

Suddenly Atemu's whole body started to hurt. The very skin, muscle, and blood on his bones throbbed uncontrollably, and the vampire caught himself at the last minute to stop his throat from screaming. He couldn't ever remember feeling such pain, except for--

Except for when he was turned into a vampire three-thousand years ago.

_Yugi, Aibou._ He called desperately through the mind link, then dropped everything and waited for a response. None came. _Yugi,_ He tried again, a little louder this time, but nothing came through but the pain. Maybe it was drowning out the student's own calls, _Yugi!_

Still nothing.

Atemu didn't know what to do, so he just ran out of the house, hoping that his instincts would lead him to his Aibou just one more time. If they both made it out of this, then it didn't matter anymore if they didn't have their mind link anymore. No one would be able to harm either of them again.

* * *

"Stop," Yugi whispered as Nimataka's fingernails grazed his forehead again. Every time they passed his skin, it would hurt just a little bit more; soon she would be breaking the surface.

He knew what the vampire was doing, because she had done it before in Yugi's dreams. It hurt so much more this time, though. It hurt already.

"You know that you need to lose these scars, Yugi," Nimataka answered, "I've told you before." She paused, deciding to run her fingers through the smaller's hair again; she seemed to like it, "Atemu wants a child, and I promised him so long ago that I would give him one."

"But he already has one," Yugi said; he felt like he was begging for his life. Maybe he was. _He already has me._

"No, beautiful," Nimataka said simply, shaking her head. Her dark hair blew around her face, "It's not the same. Atemu doesn't grow anymore, and if you stay the way you are you will surely bypass him in physical nature. And before he knows it, you will die. You don't want that, do you?"

Yugi blinked, the wind blowing lightly into the trees meaning nothing to him. He didn't want that, but was that the way things had to be? _Surely_ there was another way to get out of this but still give Yami all that he ever wanted. Of course there was a way that Yugi could stay with Yami forever just like they both wanted. Wasn't there?

"Atemu is eternal now, Yugi." He hated the way that his name sounded on Nimataka's tongue, "He's waited so long for a child, and this is his chance. This is _our_ chance. Atemu deserves this."

"I…" Yugi couldn't do it. Not like this. It couldn't have been what Yami wanted, because Yami never wanted anything that Yugi didn't want; not on the surface, anyways where he could actually see it through. The student's voice was so soft, ashamed, and tired, "I don't want to."

It was as if Nimataka didn't even listen to him, "I'm sorry, Yugi, but it's not your choice." She paused, then smiled sweetly, "You're beautiful and kind, and Atemu is not the only one that has fallen in love with you." She stopped again, then blinked those honey eyes, "We'll be a family, and you…you can stay beautiful forever."

She slid a finger inside of Yugi's flesh, on the scar that was given to him by bullies, and he gasped. More blood leaked out of his system, but Nimataka didn't stop. She pulled Yugi fully into her lap and slid her hands inside of his shirt. Her skin was cold, but it was instantly warmed as Yugi's warm crimson slid over his body. He tried to move away, but the vampiress's grip was just too strong. There was nothing he could do. 

Yugi whimpered as she made more and more injuries on his abused skin. She knew where every scar and imperfection was, but didn't even bother to look for herself or take off his shirt. It was scary, and Yugi wasn't sure how much more his heart could take.

He wondered if he'd even make it through this. Maybe he'd die without getting the chance to drink the other's blood. Maybe he wouldn't be able to be a vampire and just die. Maybe Yugi was okay with that. 

The student outright _screamed_ when Nimataka ripped open the biggest scar on his body; the one that his parents gave him that stretched from his shoulder to his back. The tears started to fall from his face again, mixing with blood, but Nimataka did nothing to stop it. If anything she started to go even slower, enjoying the tension that the skin gave her nails before it broke under her strength.

Nimataka was humming again. She didn't realize that Yugi was in more pain than he ever was before; she didn't realize that she was going to kill someone that she had supposedly fallen in love with. She just…didn't understand.

But Yami deserved so much. He took Yugi in when he had no reason to, and supported him for thirteen years. Sure, all of those years probably felt like mere minutes to the vampire, but to Yugi they meant so much more. When he was little and still with his parents, he thought that he'd never get a life of love. But he got that. He got that and so much more.

And Yugi didn't want that to end. It was true that one day he would die, and then Yami would be alone again. Yugi didn't want to do that to him, especially when Yami _deserved_ that eternal child that he needed. Who was Yugi to say no?

And Yami loved Nimataka, right? Even after she turned him, he still loved her. After three-thousands years, he still loved her so much. It was obvious. 

Maybe Yugi could learn to love her, too. Maybe they could really be a _real_ family.

When Nimataka brushed Yugi's hair out of his face, he didn't even try to struggle. There was no point because she would overpower him if he even tried, and if Yami in fact wanted this then Yugi wasn't going to attempt to take it away from him. Never.

But as the vampiress nicked her fangs against Yugi's neck once more, he realized that this wasn't right. This wasn't what was supposed to happen, and in no way, shape or form did Yugi accept it. He didn't know this woman, and did not want to have to spend eternity with her. Yami wouldn't like what she was doing, either…otherwise she wouldn't have taken Yugi away from him or knocked him out.

…She didn't love Yami. She only _thought_ that she did.

But Yugi couldn't hold onto the thought. His mind was going fuzzy, and he felt his eyes closing. He couldn't stay conscious, even as he felt Nimataka's lips leaving his oozing neck. His mind went black.

The next time Yugi opened his eyes, he knew that he was going to see things that he never saw before and feel things that he couldn't have felt in his wildest dreams. The next time that Yugi woke up would be his first time as a vampire. 

Deep down he really was excited.

* * *

Atemu ran into the park and stopped on the opposite side of the clearing. Yugi and Nimataka were across the area from him, and the sight looked and felt like nothing that he had ever been involved in before.

Why was this happening to him? Why, as soon as things were finally starting to pick up and seem _normal_, did they become surreal and terrifying?

Was it because he ran away? Was it really so bad to leave the person that had killed him? Had he done something _wrong_?

…It didn't matter at the moment.

"Give him to me, Nimataka!" Atemu yelled. He was trying not to look at Yugi, but the student was still in the corner of his vision. Atemu's son was in the grasp of his lover and wasn't moving; his eyes were closed, and the smell of blood was so strong that Atemu was actually going dizzy. It was leaking through Yugi's shirt.

"No, Atemu, not yet," The vampiress answered, not even looking up as she brought her own wrist up to her mouth. "It's almost done."

"What are you doing?" Atemu's question was voiced urgently. He knew exactly what his lover was in the middle of, and the vampire didn't want that. He didn't _want_ her to turn Yugi immortal. Atemu wanted to do that, because, as selfish as it was, _he_ was the one that found Yugi and _he_ was the one that took care of him for almost his whole life. Yugi loved Atemu and had said that he wanted to stay with him forever.

If Nimataka turned Yugi then--

There were simply too many consequences.

Nimataka's blood was flowing down her wrist. Atemu could see every drop of it as a few stray crimson pearls dripped into Yugi's hair. This was it…it was all over.

When Yugi was turned it would mean that Nimataka would stay with them forever. She'd feel attached to Yugi as if he were her own son. She's feel as if Atemu was now connected to her in some way, and she'd think that she had helped to raise the smaller.

Atemu wasn't sure if that was what he wanted. 

_Yugi,_ he thought, trying to get an answer out of the student. No response came, though, because Yugi was simply too far gone. He wasn't ever coming back, either. Not really.

Nimataka placed her wrist right next to Yugi's mouth, as if she was looking to see if Yugi would go for it on his own. One drop was all that was needed. One drop, and it was all over.

"Nimataka," Atemu said raspily. Yugi wouldn't have been able to hear even if he was awake, but the vampiress could hear everything.

Suddenly her attention was on Atemu. She smiled a little, her honey eyes glowing. "You want to do it?"

Atemu only stared as his lover stood up off of the bench, Yugi still in her grasp. She cradled him in her arms as gentle as a mother would, and slowly carried him over to the vampire, her eyes on Yugi's pale face. Her gaze flickered back to the other after a moment, though, and she smiled again before holding out Yugi for Atemu to take.

Stonily, the vampire took his son into his arms and glanced at Nimataka himself before looking at Yugi. His face was deathly white, and his lips actually looked a little blue. His entire body was shaking with the extreme conditions that it was put under, and blood was still leaking out of his injuries. It sunk through his t-shirt and stained Atemu's clothes and hands.

"Just a drop," Nimataka advised, "That's all that he needs, and then he'll want _more_." She looked down at her white dress; it was now covered in Yugi's crimson blood, "He has such sweet blood. I'm sorry that you didn't get to taste more of it."

_Yami,_ Yugi's voice was a mere whisper; he must have just been waking up. He still wouldn't open his eyes, _Yami, is this you?_

_Yes, Aibou._ Atemu answered, _It's me._

_It's okay, Yami._ Yugi whispered, _I don't mind. Turn me into a vampire, like you. I _want _you to._

"Come on," Nimataka chided, walking just a little closer. Her abdomen was almost touching Atemu's hand, "Atemu, we'll be a _real_ family. Just like you always wanted."

Atemu blinked, dropping his head. This was what everyone wanted. Everyone wanted Yugi to be a vampire, including Yugi himself. But there was something so _wrong_ about it. The act was missing feeling and purpose and _trust_. Atemu couldn't turn Yugi into a vampire without his direct permission. He couldn't change him without a _conscious_ decision.

If Atemu did what everyone was asking him to do, then there would be no trust left. Yugi would no longer look to Atemu to be the strong one, because he would be giving in to pressure and his deepest desires.

_Yami, please,_ Yugi begged in his mind, _Please, it hurts so bad._ The student's body shivered more violently this time, as if proving the point. It wasn't going to be fair to leave Yugi so broken. But the injuries would heal in time, and then maybe that feeling of frustration would finally leave everyone's mind.

Atemu couldn't do it; he just _couldn't_. He wouldn't lose Yugi's trust. Not again.

"I can't." He whispered, both to Nimataka and Yugi, his head still down and his eyes focused at nothing, "I won't."

It wasn't Nimataka. It wasn't the woman that he loved, because she died a long time ago. When she lost her beating heart, Nimataka had lost something else, too: herself. Atemu remembered telling Yugi something like that once, and that he was going to move on because she had died.

It was just that Atemu didn't believe it then. He didn't realize it deep in his soul, and now it was hitting him hard. He loved the memory of her, and he still loved her soft body, but-- 

He was not in love with what was in front of him. Nimataka was gone, and she was never coming back.

When Atemu raised his head and looked at his lover, she only stared. Her dark hair no longer blew about her because the wind had died down, and the crescent moon was hidden behind the stray clouds in the sky. She was not smiling, and her eyes gave away no emotion. She was only a doll. 

Atemu held Yugi close to him and ran home. Both of their minds were blank and Yugi must have passed out again.

There was nothing else to do.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, it took longer than a week to finish this chapter, but it just didn't want to be written.

There's only going to be one or two more chapters of this story left unless someone finds the ending too open. If that happens then I might continue it a few chapters, but I don't want this story to go on forever. :D.

WOOT! 200 reviews! Thanks so much to everyone that's been reviewing this story. I know that it's been a bumpy ride what with hiatuses and stuff, but I'm glad that you're sticking with me!

Please Review.


	18. Chapter 18

Atemu held Yugi's hand tightly as he laid him down on the couch and covered him with a blanket; the vampire had bandaged as many ripped-open injuries as he could, but the fact remained that there were just too many. Anyways, most of the bleeding had stopped.

He couldn't believe that Yugi had actually lived through this. Nimataka was just as old as Atemu was, and she must've killed at least twice as many humans as he had. She must have really wanted Yugi to be a vampire.

_"Atemu, we'll be a real family. Just like you always wanted." _Her voice floated out into the vampire's memory, and he clenched Yugi's fingers just a little harder. That really was all that the Pharaoh had wanted: he wanted an heir, and he wanted a family and child to love along with his beautiful wife.

Did he really throw all of that away only hours before? Had he really gotten that one chance to get _everything_ that he had ever desired just to push it all away?

Atemu shook his head. That wasn't true at all; he _did_ have his family. And sure, maybe that family wasn't the complete one that he was looking for, and wouldn't last forever, but how many families were perfect?

…How many lasted more than fifty or sixty years?

Not many, that was sure.

Atemu sighed; he could sense that Nimataka was still in the area, and the vampire didn't know what to do about it. He couldn't just leave her, because that meant that she might come back. No matter how confused, stunned and dazed she appeared in the park, it was possible that could just bounce back and continue her mission. Maybe she already had.

"Aibou," Atemu said softly, almost in a whisper; Yugi didn't shift or even acknowledge that the other was there, and his pale face just continued to stay still, dead to the world. The bandage covering his burn mark from over ten years ago was slightly pink, tinged with blood. "I'll be right back, Yugi. Right back."

And he walked downstairs.

The cool air hitting the vampire's face as he stepped outside did nothing to his skin; he didn't even feel it. Atemu shivered, though, barely able to believe that what had just happened…did.

Yugi had almost _died_. Yugi, Atemu's _son_, was almost turned into a vampire by what used to be his lover against his will. In the end, it turned out that she was dead, too. How close had the vampire come to losing _everything_?

Would something like this happen again in the future? How long from then?

The vampire wrapped his arms around himself, closing his eyes. He was not used to feeling so scared, and wondered if he ever had before. Even back in Ancient Egypt, when he was in pain and dying in Nimataka's arms, he didn't feel the despair and worry that he was weighed down with now.

It actually hurt.

He didn't want Yugi to die, because that would mean that Atemu would never get to see him again; Yugi would never be able to see everything that the world had to offer.

He would have to leave the world eventually, though, and then--

"Atemu."

The vampire's red eyes shot open, glistening in the darkness. Off in the distance, the sky was lit with the promise of sunrise, but Atemu couldn't see it. All that he could see was the vampire standing only feet away from him, just staring. There was nothing left in her eyes, and if the younger of the two had the chance to look…he knew that there would have been nothing in her mind, either.

"Nimataka," Atemu whispered, all posture lost as he just looked into the honey eyes of who he used to love.

"I don't understand." She said simply, blinking slowly, "I don't understand why you gave all of this up. You have such a beautiful child…why not keep him?"

"Nothing lasts forever." And it was true. Nothing was supposed to last forever, and everything was supposed to die when it's time came. That's why Yugi wasn't gone: it wasn't yet his time.

Nothing lasted forever. Nothing other than the vampires.

"We can." Nimataka replied softly, "We do."

Atemu blinked, "Not all of the time. Our one weakness can stop all of that."

That one weakness was starting to creep over the top of the world, ready to shine its ethereal light onto the world of the living. Atemu could not stay out here talking to his lover forever, but he knew that once he turned around and stepped inside of that door he would never see her again.

Deep inside, he could sense that something was going to happen, something that would change _everything_ yet leave it all the same. He wasn't sure what it was, though.

He'd find out soon enough.

Suddenly something was in Atemu's arms; it was cold and unforgiving, but soft and breakable at the same time. Nimataka wrapped her own arms around the other's waist, breathing in his scent as if it were her last, "It doesn't have to be this way."

Atemu closed his eyes again, already feeling uncomfortable from the glow of pre-sun flooding over the horizon. The back of his sight felt heavy, warning him of the tears threatening to fall. "It does, though." He whispered, "It really does."

Atemu looked almost directly across from him into dulling honey. She could feel the sunlight, too.

And she was going to embrace it.

The vampire leaned over and kissed his lover's lips one last time. She didn't try to respond, and Atemu didn't try to go any further. "Good-bye, Nimataka," He said, then gently pulled out of her grasp to turn away. He fixed his gaze determinedly onto the door. He wouldn't turn around.

He wouldn't.

"Atemu, wait," Nimataka said quickly, and reached over to grasp at the other's tan wrist, "Please don't go. Please."

He couldn't stand it. Atemu turned around. The pink light from the sun was getting closer and closer to the pair of them, but Atemu just couldn't leave. There was no closure in this…no way to turn around and get anything back. Nimataka was not going to be allowed into Atemu's home. Not again.

And there was no where else to go.

"I love you," She said, sounding, feeling, and looking like the Nimataka Atemu used to know three-thousand years ago. Tears filled her eyes, willing to spill at any given moment; it was like she really was upset.

But she couldn't have been, because she had died when she came back from her trip across the sands. She was dead before she even walked into that chamber. Maybe Atemu was dead before he even walked out of it.

"No you don't," Atemu said, unable to look her in the eyes. His gaze floated anywhere and everywhere else. "You only used to. You only think you do."

Turning back to the door, Atemu walked into his and Yugi's house, his mind holding an image of the one he used to love and did love crying for him as the sunlight finally started to spill over the horizon. His boots clicked oddly on the pavement, echoing and mixing with the sound of Nimataka's soft sobs.

Inside of the old and closed Game Shop, Atemu slid to the floor in the shadows and covered his face as Nimataka screamed in pain, her body turning to ash.

She only used to scream in pleasure.

* * *

Yugi opened his eyes to his entire body throbbing. He was lying down on his back on the couch, and for some reason felt sticky and uncomfortable all over. Groaning slightly, he sat up, the blanket over his form falling to the floor with the soft rustle of fabric. His entire stomach was constricted with bandages, and when the student raised his hand to run his fingers through his hair, he realized that there was gauze on his forehead, too. 

And everything came flooding back.

Where was Nimataka? And Yami?

Yugi flinched as he twisted his torso to look around the room, and his vision went hazy when his eyes tried to focus. What was going on? Wasn't he supposed to be a _vampire_ by now? Wasn't all of this pain and weakness supposed to die along with his heart?

_But it didn't happen,_ Yugi reminded himself as he willed his blood to stop surging so quickly; it didn't work.

The last thing that Yugi could remember was begging Yami to turn him, and as his entire consciousness went black…he remembered Yami saying that he _couldn't_ do it.

Yugi raised his hand again to search for the two pinpricks on his neck. Yami didn't bother to cover them with a thick piece of gauze because the blood had already stopped flowing from it, and the injury seemed like it was slowly starting to heal. It still hurt, though.

Everything still hurt.

_Yami?_ Yugi called out in his mind, trying to figure out why the vampire wasn't by his side. The thought of Yami being angry with Yugi crossed his mind, but Yugi knew that that couldn't have been true.

…Unless Yugi put him in a painful decision by pleading with him to be turned…

Yet the student knew that that thought was false, too. Yami's mind didn't feel angry, disappointed, or even sad. It was just--

It took Yugi a minute to realize that there was absolutely nothing there. The vampire's entire mind was numb.

_Yami?_ Yugi tried again, _Yami, where are you?_

He barely caught the whispered response in his mind, _Downstairs._

_Are you alright?_ Any concern about Yugi himself flew out of his head when he heard how tired and strained Yami sounded, _What happened?_

There was no other response.

_Yami?_ Yugi finally felt something; he wished that someone's mind could lie. His voice was soft and caring when he started to speak again, _Yami, are you crying?_

The vampire didn't say anything, but Yugi knew that it was true. He stood up, wanting to go and comfort his parent as best as possible for whatever had happened, but the way that his mind swam told him that it wouldn't be a good idea.

He closed his eyes to steady himself, then placed one foot in front of himself as a test. It held, and Yugi knew that he could go on.

Even if he fell, Yugi would have done anything to make it downstairs. Yami wasn't supposed to cry.

* * *

The door in front of him opened slowly and Atemu only pried himself out of his thoughts when he heard someone's bare feet walking across the linoleum floor; the skin stuck every time they lifted up their foot to take another slow step. 

Still, though, even with the vampire's _attention_ on the other presence in the room, he didn't lift his face out of his hand. He knew that it was Yugi walking towards him, even though Yugi shouldn't of had the strength to stand up at all. Atemu didn't want to let Yugi see him cry, because he didn't want the smaller to worry about him. It was supposed to be the other way around.

"Yami?"

Atemu didn't answer. He didn't know what to say, as nothing was coming to mind; he felt totally empty.

Yugi was so much closer to Atemu now; he could feel the fabric of the smaller's pants against his arms. Yugi leant down closer to the vampire, and Atemu could smell the remnants of blood, sweat and shampoo in his hair. He felt the warmth of the human's bare skin and crisp bandages as Yugi wrapped his arms around Atemu and embraced him with all of the strength that he had left.

Atemu immediately brought his son into his arms and cried. His soul was hurting so much, he felt like he would never stop sobbing. It wasn't fair; he had lost the love of his life twice when it was torture enough to have to go through it once.

And this time it was even worse, because Nimataka was never coming back. It didn't matter if she was really gone the first time, because Atemu didn't know that. It was like deep down he really thought that she would somehow change someday.

How could he have been so naïve?

Yugi started to rock back and forth in Atemu's arms as the vampire sniffed. He took deep breaths that did nothing at all for no reason at all.

And now he was going to be alone forever, too. Maybe if Nimataka was still _alive_ then one-hundred years down the road he could've gotten back with her. Maybe after Yugi was gone…he could've found a way to fall in love with her again.

Even the mere idea sounded wrong in the vampire's mind.

All except for the fact that Yugi was going to be gone one day.

_What will I do then?_ Atemu thought. He had lost his one chance. He would never get another to turn Yugi, he was sure of it.

Yugi wouldn't want to be a vampire, anyways. Who would?

_Don't think about those things,_ Yugi whispered into his father's mind. _Not now._

_She's gone,_ Atemu told Yugi, just to let him know. Somehow it was important to him, _Yugi, Nimataka's--_

_It's okay,_ Yugi interrupted gently, _It's okay, I already know, and you don't have to say it._

Atemu pulled away from the smaller slightly and looked him in the eye. Yugi smiled softly and unwrapped one of his hands from the vampire's waist to gently wipe away the elder's tears. Atemu blinked and couldn't help but smile a little himself.

"I love you, Aibou," Atemu said, then leant forward and kissed an unblemished part of Yugi's forehead. His skin was as warm as ever, "And thank you."

"I love you, too, Yami."

And they embraced once more.

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Author's Notes: Well...yeah. That was the chapter. 

I hope that it was alright. I'm was trying to finish this story as quickly as possible but still make it good at the same time.

And yes, I used the past tense because there's only one chapter left and I already finished it. Just one more to go, and a one-shot that will be written some time in the future just to tie up all of the loose ends that I know someone will comment on.

Thanks to all reviewers! This fic is losing a little momentum...I'm not sure what I did, but I'm grateful to everyone that is sticking with me!

Please Review.


	19. Chapter 19

An unknown amount of time had passed since Nimataka's ashes floated away in the wind. Moons had risen, suns had fallen, and Yugi's injuries had healed completely back into the scars that they used to be. Smiles were exchanged, hugs were given, and long walks were taken on those clear nights that were just as warm as the days. Everything was calm.

But nothing was the same.

Yugi hadn't drunken a single drop of blood since everything had happened with Nimataka. He would sit in the same room now while Atemu himself consumed the crimson, but seemed to pale at the mere thought of having it himself.

It was as if he was afraid…or wishing for something.

Atemu wasn't the same, either. No matter how much time was spent with Yugi, he couldn't seem to shake off the feeling that it wasn't going to last forever; he wasn't allowed to think that one day he would be gone, too, and that he wouldn't miss Yugi. He couldn't even lie to himself, because the truth had been engraved in his head to think about every day. It was always there, even when he smiled.

He definitely did when he cried every once in a while, just when everything became too much. But Yugi didn't care; Yugi was always there to give his presence until the vampire stopped.

For that Atemu was grateful.

It was early, perhaps seven o'clock at night. Yugi was working on an essay on Atemu's computer, while Atemu read a book with a glass of blood by his side. Everything was silent, and nothing seemed to be out-of-place.

Nothing except for the thing that had been floating around in Yugi's head for everyone to see. The student stopped typing for a moment and looked up at the screen although he wasn't focused on it, "Yami?"

Atemu blinked and looked up from his novel; at Yugi's voice he had instantly forgotten the last line comprehended, "Is something wrong, Aibou?" 

If the vampire had said he wasn't expecting this then he would have been lying; he just wanted to give Yugi his space until _he_ was ready. Otherwise everything else would have just seemed pointless.

"No," Yugi said, and Atemu could almost see him narrowing his eyes a little in thought; he stood up from his chair, "I just…want to talk to you."

Atemu closed his text, not even bothering to bookmark it. Things like that seemed so trivial at the moment, especially with the magnitude and intensity of the smaller's thoughts. If Atemu's heart was still working then it would have been beating in anticipation. Yugi sat down on the couch next to the vampire, keeping close but staying a comfortable distance away at the same time.

"What do you need?"

Yugi seemed to hesitate, "I…I've been thinking about something for a long time, and now I want to ask you."

Atemu didn't speak, deciding to let Yugi take his own course just in case he wanted to back out. The vampire couldn't blame him, even if it would hurt to let Yugi do so.

"Ever since…_that night_, I've had something on my mind that won't change no matter what perspective I put it into. I've thought about it in almost any way possible, but my opinion on the matter is still the same." 

Atemu could tell that Yugi had practiced saying this over and over again; there was still feeling in it, though, and a ring of truth around it so thick that Atemu couldn't have torn his attention away even if he wanted to.

"I know that I told you before that I can't imagine living as long as you have, and I also know that I told you that I never would. But I _want_ to, and the only way that I can do that is by actually _living_ it." 

"Yugi," Atemu interrupted gently, "This is a big choice. And as much as I would love for you to want this, existing like I do is not easy." He took a breath, just to prepare himself, "I've had to kill countless people just to stay alive, and the need for blood outweighs anything that you could ever imagine. Are you sure you want this?"

"I do." Yugi said, his voice firm and his mind just as confident. Atemu couldn't understand.

"Why?"

Yugi blinked, then plunged right in as if everything in his head was starting to boil over the rim, "You're the only friend I have, Yami. No one even spares me a second glance at school, unless they want to pick on me. You saved my life when you could have just killed me, and took care of me for how many years. You gave up everything for me, and I appreciate that _so_ much.

"And…" Yugi stopped for a minute, raising his eyes back up to Atemu's crimson; they fell to nothingness while he was speaking, "You sacrificed the love of your entire existence, just for my life. You waited until _I_ was ready to make this decision on my own, and…I've never felt like this before."

"But--" Atemu started; he didn't even know _why_ he was fighting this so hard. Maybe he wanted to be absolutely sure.

"I'm not doing this because I feel like I owe you anything, Yami," Yugi said quickly. "I'm doing this because I love you, and I want you to stay with you forever. I don't want to die and leave you alone until the world ends." The student's eyes were gleaming with something that Atemu just couldn't place, "I want to see it with you. Turn me into a vampire."

Only two things were allowed into Atemu's mind: the memory of Yugi saying that he wanted to stay with the vampire forever when he was very small, and the deep desire inside of Atemu himself wanting exactly the same thing that Yugi did. 

It could have been a mistake; they had made so many of them before. But this was one of those mistakes that just felt so _right_ that they couldn't be ignored.

And somewhere inside of him Atemu believed that this wasn't going to be a mistake at all.

* * *

"Come on," Yami said suddenly, standing up and grabbing Yugi's wrist. "We're going to miss it."

"What?" Yugi asked, his heart racing. Yami's words and actions were so sudden, Yugi wasn't sure if the vampire had heard his small speech and query at all. He followed his father anyway, though, curiosity taking over his mind.

What did Yami want him to see?

"The sunset," Yami said, not even turning around to look his son in the eye. "You need to see it…you--" He stopped, unable to go on. Maybe Yami never got to see his last sunset or sunrise before he was turned.

Yami didn't have a choice at all, did he?

The student followed Yami right down to the foot of the stairs. Then he stopped. "Go, Aibou," He said. "Look for the last time, and don't forget to remember everything about it. It's not the same in movies or in pictures. You'll never get the chance again."

Yugi stared at Yami for a full ten seconds, just watching. He couldn't believe that Yami was really waiting for Yugi to be fully ready; he was so grateful that Yami was actually willing to give everything that he needed to take with him, whether it was a memory or something else entirely.

Now he was absolutely sure that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the vampire. No one had cared about him this much before. No one had cared about him at all.

Yugi smiled at the other and couldn't hold back the urge to embrace him before walking quickly outside.

The sun looked so much more different to him now than it ever did before, and it was an odd feeling knowing that he was never going to see it again. Yugi stopped in the middle of the street and just stared, watching the colors of gold and orange meld together to form a pure white energy. The reflections of that light around the corona melded into full blues and delicate purples…Yugi might have even seen a rare shade of green up in the sky.

The whole orb of light slid gracefully across the sky, ready to give its dawn to another part of the world. It had been doing it since the dawn of time, and would keep on doing it until the earth died and fell off of the scale of existence.

It was just that Yugi would never get to see it again.

Yet, he came to realize with a surprise, Yugi wasn't sad. He had never really thought about the beauty of the sun before, and even though he would never really know of its existence ever again…it didn't seem that important.

It was just one of those things that everyone took for granted.

And then it was gone, the sky a dark twilight purple. Now all that was left of the natural light was the reflection, and Yugi stared at what was going to be his life for the rest of his existence.

He would never forget that sunset, though, just because Yami had told him to remember.

Yet the only thing that Yugi could actually think about was if the change was in fact going to hurt. He wondered if it was going to hurt to actually die. He wondered if he was going to care when the time actually came. He wondered if there was a mistake to be made. All that Yugi could think about was Yami.

"Aibou?" Yugi turned around quickly as Yami put a hand on his shoulder. "Yugi, are you okay? Are…are you sure you want to do this?" Yami actually looked depressed at the thought of Yugi changing his mind. "It's okay if you don't--"

"No," Yugi said abruptly, "I do, I really do. I'm just…" Yugi paused, searching for the honest answer inside of him, "Scared." 

Yami nodded, the corners of his lips turned up just the slightest bit; he looked a little sad, "Me too."

They started walking down the road, the sky now clear and black and devoid of all color. Stars no longer existed; thirteen years really was a long time when it came right down to it. Yugi knew where his steps were leading him, and he also knew that Yami was the one walking just a little further ahead.

He knew exactly where this needed to be done.

"Yami?" Yugi asked, slowing down a little. Yami did the same, realizing that he was rushing just a little bit, "Does…does it hurt?" Yugi didn't really care; it wasn't going to change his decision. He just wanted to know.

Yami seemed to realize this, and didn't stop walking. He merely looked thoughtful, "It does. But…I lost consciousness before the change actually happened. And I'm not going to do everything that she did." He stopped talking, stiffening up just a little as they continued. His voice dropped to almost a whisper, "I'm not going to do this with the intention of hurting you."

Yugi suddenly grasped Yami's hand; he wasn't sure why, but he felt like Yami needed the comfort. After all of these years and the past couple of weeks, the vampire was still hurting. Hopefully he wouldn't forever.

"Thank you, Aibou," Yami said, glancing at his son and smiling. He tightened his hold a little, making sure that he wouldn't let go.

The trees blew a little around them as Yugi and Yami entered the clearing of the park that meant so much to both of them. Yugi couldn't remember being in this park alone and afraid…but he knew that this was the spot because he could see it in the other's mind.

He also knew that Yami would remember it forever.

* * *

Atemu looked at Yugi and smiled reassuringly before leading him over to a bench. To tell the truth, the vampire was just as nervous as the student was; he knew what he had to do in order to turn Yugi, but he was still afraid that it wasn't going to work.

The process was simple…but deep down Atemu wondered if something would go wrong just because it could. Maybe he was just letting his fear and anxiety get the better of him. 

He squished it down, promising himself that he would give Yugi what the two of them wanted. He wouldn't let his son down. Never again.

As they both sat down, Yugi scooted a little closer to Atemu; he was nervous, too. His heart was beating quickly, and his eyes were moving all over the place. He was thinking the exact same thing that Atemu was, but that was okay.

Neither of them had second thoughts.

"Umm…" Yugi started, finally settling his gaze on the vampire. It was turning a little awkward, as Atemu had never drank from Yugi before. That was the fear of their little life together; there was something missing now that it was gone.

"Okay," Atemu said. "Are you ready? You're sure that this is what you want, because I can't go back. After we start this…it will be dangerous to stop."

"I'm sure," Yugi said without hesitation.

Atemu nodded, then filled his dead lungs with air. He raised his hand, ready to break all of the scars on Yugi's skin again so that they'd flawlessly heal once the process was complete, leaving perfect skin behind.

As soon as Yugi realized what he was doing, he shouted, "No!" 

Atemu flinched and immediately pulled his hand away, "What's wrong?"

Yugi seemed to shrink a little, surprised by his own outburst, "I want to keep my scars."

"What? Why?" Atemu honestly didn't understand. Those marks reminded Yugi of every terrible thing that had ever happened to him. Why would he want to keep them?

"Because," Yugi started, "I don't want to erase my past completely. I mean…I am what I am because of what my parents and the others at school did. I don't want to forget that and turn into someone else." He paused, looking up, "Is that okay?"

Atemu smiled; he loved Yugi so much, and was surprised by his Aibou again and again. He couldn't believe how strong a being he really was, "You never cease to amaze me, Yugi. I'm proud of you."

Yugi nodded, "Thank you."

"I'm going to open our minds, Yugi," The vampire said, struck with a thought. He didn't want to scare Yugi like that again so that he'd back out without a need to. "And tell you exactly what I'm going to do. Okay?"

Yugi nodded, then opened his mind further so that Atemu could feel all of the thoughts racing through him. There was fear and curiosity, but above all of that was the determination to give himself and Atemu the ability to stay together forever. It was so strong.

It was incredible.

_I'm going to drink._ Atemu said, and Yugi slid a little closer, a little more of that fear pushing it's way forward in his head. _I'm not going to take any more than I need, okay?_

Yugi nodded, words failing him at that point. The fear ebbed away a little, but not a lot. This was going to be trying on him. Atemu picked Yugi up and placed him in his lap, then wrapped his arms around him comfortingly, trying to get him to relax a little. He rocked back and forth, feeling Yugi gradually loosen up. "I'm proud of you for what you're doing for me, Yugi…never forget that."

Yugi nodded, his mind clearing just a little bit more. Atemu raised one of his hands, then gently brushed Yugi's hair off of his neck; there were no scars from when Nimataka drank from the smaller, something that Atemu was grateful for.

He leaned over placed his fangs over Yugi's neck, realizing that he was going to do this exact same thing thirteen years ago but didn't. His teeth rested against Yugi's skin, the pulse practically jumping into his mouth as Yugi's mind caught up to Atemu's actions. The vampire slowly slid his fangs into Yugi's skin…

And Yugi whimpered. 

Atemu pulled his fangs out immediately; he had forgotten that this was going to be Yugi that he was drinking from--his own son. He had gotten too excited.

_No._ Yugi said firmly. _Keep going, please Yami._

Atemu nodded, then wrapped his arms tighter around Yugi as he started to suck the crimson out of the two puncture wounds. The smaller of the two gasped at the sensation, and immediately his pale hand found its way into Atemu's tan one. They both squeezed lightly, reassuring each other that everything was going to be alright despite all of the different feelings and sensations.

And Atemu finally just slipped away, his dead body reacting wonderfully to the taste of human blood. Yugi tasted so sweet…Atemu had no idea that his blood would be so pure. It was like Yugi had never done anything terrible in his entire life--

Yet that was all about to change, and Atemu didn't even realize it. Maybe it wouldn't have mattered.

_Yami--_ Yugi said suddenly, and Atemu realized that Yugi's heart was slowing down; the student could feel it in his soul. His grip on the vampire's hand loosened considerable, and it was as if he was fighting to hold on. 

_It's okay, Aibou,_ Atemu cooed, not really knowing for sure if the change was alright or not. He shifted the smaller slightly, so that he was lying in the crook of one of Atemu's elbows like an infant. Yugi looked up at him with clouded amethyst eyes and Atemu squeezed his hand reassuringly, "We're almost done." He whispered.

Yugi nodded, barely even understanding the statement. He was dying…Atemu was killing his own child.

But that was what Yugi wanted, and it was about time the student got what he wanted, no matter what the consequences. Atemu would be there to protect him from anything and it would all be okay, just like it was all of those times before.

It had to be.

Atemu raised his free hand to his mouth and ripped the skin away from it with his teeth. It immediately started to drip blood.

There was only one step left.

_Drink, Yugi,_ The vampire instructed clearly, and guided his hand to Yugi's mouth.

Yugi followed Atemu's instructions almost before he had even said them, and started to lap up the blood from the vampire's wrist. At first he was almost shy, but then at the first taste of the crimson slid down his throat, he became more bold…demanding.

Atemu closed his mind with the mental promise that it wouldn't be like that for long; if Yugi felt what he was supposed to feel, then Atemu wouldn't be able to get him home because he would be unconscious as well.

It hurt that much, but there wasn't anything that Atemu could do about it anymore. Not with Yugi digging his teeth into Atemu's vein, trying to get the most out of his first real drink. Not with the sensation flooding Atemu's mind; it was pain. Actual pain.

He just let Yugi drink.

* * *

Yugi wanted more. He raised his head up from Atemu's arm, suddenly full of energy that couldn't have been his own, and latched his own jaw _into_ the other's wrist.

He had never tasted anything like this. It was blood, yes, and Yugi had tasted that sensation before, but…this had so much _power_ in it. Yugi knew that he would drink forever if he could. He wanted to so badly…

But then it didn't feel so good anymore.

It started in his heart. It was a dull throbbing, almost like the pulse of waves as they crashed into the shore. But then it got harder, and faster. The speed of the pulse became more erratic and demanding, trying to take something out of the organ that just wasn't there to give.

His heart couldn't pound endlessly, but that was what the blood wanted. Yami's blood wanted him to be stronger than he was, and he just couldn't--

Yugi wanted to scream but just couldn't find the strength. The demanding pulse spread through his veins like wildfire, and he couldn't take it. It burned his throat and boiled his blood…he was almost sure that his eyes were rolling into the back of his head and he was yelling so loud even though he couldn't hear it--

Everything was black.

* * *

Atemu sat in the park for a long time, holding Yugi's unconscious body to him. He was crying, but couldn't understand why.

Maybe it was because…Yugi was dead.

He knew that Yugi would wake up soon; his mind was still touching Atemu's gently, but just watching him lie motionless in Atemu's arms, cold and without a heartbeat, it hurt. It was like a nightmare that the vampire had had every night since he found the child, but forgot about as soon as he woke up the next morning.

He never thought that he would feel this way.

But he was so, so happy at the same time, because even unconscious, Yugi felt happy, and that was all that Atemu ever wanted from the boy.

Yugi moaned a little in the vampire's arms, and Atemu jumped slightly, surprised. He watched, wide eyed, as Yugi sat up as a vampire for the first time. His movements were smooth, and functional; Atemu had never seen the smaller like this before.

And Yugi sniffed the air; he could smell what Atemu could smell now, all of the pollution and decay…the fresh air and trees. His eyes were brighter than ever before, a new light shining in them despite the fact that he was no longer living. He looked so wonderfully curious.

The student's mouth was open a little, extra room needed for his new fangs. They were a bright, pearly white and sharper than glass. They were much stronger than it, too. The skin on the rest of his face was white, though marred with the darker scars of his humanity.

Atemu could now see why Yugi wanted to keep his imperfections.

He stared about him, amazed at all of the colors and sounds that were now open to him. The hues of the leaves were brighter, even in the darkness, and he could see every bump and grain of the sidewalk in front of them. Even the grays seemed to shine a bright white.

It all looked so overwhelming to Yugi, and Atemu could feel his mind buzzing with new and old excitement and curiosity. The fear was still there, of course, but it was just a little speck in a whole different world of wonder and knowledge.

He raised one of his hands to his new eyes, and stared at the fingerprints on the tips just as Atemu did. He took in the elongated fingernails, and seemed unable to stop himself from pressing them into his palm. They might of bled…Atemu wasn't sure.

Yugi then ran the tips of his fingers down Atemu's shirt, feeling the cotton as if he had never seen it in his life. He bunched it a little in his fingers, then ran them back up the fabric to the older vampire's collarbone. He pressed a little, realizing that with no strength at all he could shatter the bone instantly.

Of course, though, he didn't; Yugi would never do anything like that, even when faced with curiosity unlike anything that he had ever known before. And this was definitely something that he had never known before.

Suddenly, as if he had just remembered something very important, Yugi tore his attention away from the cotton shirt and looked at Atemu. He smiled.

All that Atemu ever wanted from Yugi was his happiness.

And deep down, he wanted Eternity, too.

Now they had both.

**_The End_**

* * *

Author's Notes: And, there you go. That's the end of the story. I hope that it's not _too_ out there, because I think that the whole Yugi-drinking-blood thing caused a lot of freak-outs. This might have been overkill.

Then again, this was the ending that I had in mind for this story from the beginning.

I'm going to be writing a one-shot sometime in the near future outlining Yugi's first kill. I realize that the main reason for people (including myself) not liking the ending is going to be the fact that Yugi just can't do something like killing for his own personal gain. Hopefully I'll satiate your--frustration--about that with this story. I don't know when I'll be writing it, but it's on my Post-It wall of Plot Bunnies, so it's coming. :D.

Thank you to every reader, reviewer, commenter, follower, and lover of this story. It's taken quite a long time considering it really wasn't that long of a story, but I'm glad that I was able to finish it. I hope that you are, too! 

Please Review.


End file.
